The Bartender
by NanoBlade
Summary: Oliver Blake has always been one to believe in fate: all things happen for a reason. And the following years of his life will prove that to him, when he meets a group of people who'll teach him that the universe works in awesome ways. First moments of this take place during the "Pineapple Incident" I only own the character Oliver Blake. Rated T for drinking and language.
1. Chapter 1: Origins of Two objects

Chapter 1- Origins of two objects  
Fate. That's one of the many mysteries of the universe. Are we on some kind of destiny to meet certain people throughout our lives, or is it just a series of coincidences? I've been a firm believer in that stuff. Fate, destiny, karma, you get it. I don't believe in coincidences most of the time, and throughout the course of my life, I met people who just reinforced my belief in it even further.

Being a bartender in New York, it's my job to work with drunk people and listen to their problems, but in all my life, never have I seen someone as obliterated drunk as one Ted Mosby on a late night in the November of 2005, and the events of the years that followed after that night.  
My name is Oliver Blake. I'm that kind of bartender that you'd see in some bars in New York. Really friendly guy, always with something to say, and happy to listen to people and their problems, even if he has no idea what the hell they're saying. Yeah, that's me.

So what's to tell of a 23-year-old bartender in New York? Quite a bit, actually. I come from the town of Port Angeles in Washington state. I grew up loving adventures and stories indoors and out. I was very chatty when I was a kid, discovering that I was also just a good a listener as a speaker. I discovered my passion for bartending in these last 2 years, getting a degree in Econ at Columbia in New York in the process. Learning to be a bartender became one of my favorite things to do. I had one dream: to start and own my own bar. But going to New York to start a business, as I soon discovered, is easy as chewing rocks. Not long after that I met Ted Mosby.

It was a Friday morning in the middle of November. I lived in an apartment on the upper west side, in the same building as my best friends, Cindy and Juno. We had known each other for a few years. Cindy I met in school. In my Econ class a few years back, we had the Stock Trading project, investing fake money in the market. Cindy beat me by 3 bucks. In a way, after that, we became closer. That is, after the dispute I had with her after losing so close. Some time after that, when I was on a bartender shift near campus, I met Juno. After hitting it off I discovered that she was in my Econ class. My life was pretty good for a 23 year old college graduate living on a bartender's salary. So that one day in November, I decided to have some fun that day.

I threw on my hoodie, and started making plans. I decided a day of walking and hanging around would do me some good. New York is a big city to get lost in, and you don't even have to care about it, with so much to do.

I walked out of my apartment, and turned to lock up when I dropped my key. I leaned down to see a familiar person bump heads with me.

"Ow! Hey Cindy." I said

"Hey there, Ollie." She said. She handed me my key as we stood up.

"Ok, do we have the list?" Said the other girl over at the door. That was Juno. I knew both of them as roommates, but they were really different from each other.

"Yeah, Juno, we got the list." Said Cindy, groaning. She produced a slip of paper from her jacket to show to her.

"List? What list?" I asked.

"Juno insisted we have this crazy Hawaiian luau night. Inviting a few friends over and have a party in our apartment. You're welcome to join us if you got time tonight. You got time tonight, right?"

"Oh, yeah. No problem, Cindy. Got the night off."

"Aw, crap!" Said Juno, patting her jacket over.

"What is it this time, J?"

"My lucky pick's missing." I know the story of that guitar pick. She plays an insane bass solo at one show with it and she's suddenly unable to let it out of her sights.

"Hey, don't worry, Juno. I'll look out for it. In the meantime, since I got the day off, I can help you with the list if you want."

"Oh, thank god! I was hoping for that. We need these for the punch." Said Cindy.

She wrote something on the list, ripped it in half and handed it to me. I saw a few random items on it.

"Sugar? You're putting sugar in the store bought juice that already is, like 90 percent sugar? J, one of these days, I'm gonna understand you."

Clearly Juno wasn't listening to me, crawling on the floor looking for her pick. I then saw it on the ground right beside Cindy's foot.

"Yeah. That day isn't coming anytime soon, Ollie." Said Cindy  
I then leaned down and picked it up.

"*tweet* hey, Juno." I whistled. "I found your pick." She ran up to me with that big smile that's barely vacant of her face.

"Where is it?" She asked, sweetly.

"Right here." I did the old "behind your ear," trick. She rolled her eyes, smirking.

"Oh, haha." She said. She started down the hallway with me and Cindy right behind.

"You're doing it." She said to me under her breath.

"Doing what?" I respond.

"Falling for her. It happens every time."

"I'm an exception, Cindy. You guys are my closest friends and I refuse to jeopardize that to get laid."

"Uh, huh. All guys are the same, Ollie. 'Kay? Remember that."

"Right. Because I think the same way as those fat-cat corporate assholes that are draining our economy. You must know about that. After all, you're getting a Phd in it."

Cindy didn't like it when I was acted like a wise ass, so she simply kept her mouth shut in frustration until we got to the elevator. I looked down at the list as Juno hit the button to call the elevator up to us.

"Ok, that's a lot of booze." I said, looking at the list. "Are you sure we're having a luau, or are we just going nuts with the drinking tonight?"

"I don't see why we can't get down tonight, Ollie. Let loose!" Said Juno, raising her hands. "Also, bring something sweet to add to the punch. Maybe some fruit?"

"Yeah. And maybe I'll develop a case of diabetes while I'm at it." I thought to myself.

We soon were down in the lobby, and we stepped out onto the street. It was a light drizzle, so I pulled my hood up. Juno, on the other hand, wasn't too happy.

"Damn it! I keep forgetting to put 'umbrella' on the 'things to buy' list" she said "I don't like the rain. They always say it's a bad omen."

"Juno, you're being ridiculous...again." Said Cindy. "Nothing will happen. Now let's go get our supplies. See you later, Ollie."

"Bye." I looked down at the list. Sugar, rum and a couple other things, plus Cindy wrote down she wanted me to contribute to the "Punch" side by buying a 12 pack of cans.

"Ok. Let's get started." I said to myself, walking off.

After about 4 hours of walking around New York for the different ingredients, I finally ended up at a market in the village, a shopping bag over my shoulder, with most of the supplies weighing me down. Then I remembered Juno suggested grabbing a fruit to add to the punch. I looked around to then see a man yelling out to passers at his cart.

"Fresh fruits! Fresh fruits! We freshly picked fruit from all over! Ma'am, you try these apples, and you will not regret it!"

I walked up. "Hi. I'm looking for something for a party tonight. You have any suggestions?" I asked.

"I know what you need." He said, pointing to me. "Goes great grilled on a barbecue. We recently had a big shipment of these fresh pineapples from Hawaii. Do take one!" He clearly wanted to be rid of one, so I accepted.

"Sure. Why not? You seem like the expert."  
This looked like it would be one hell of a party.

I paid for the pineapple, and added that to the stuff I bought. I ran through the list one more time.

"Punch, sugar, rum, a pineapple...there's something missing." I said to myself.

I walked around for a while. I added 7-Up to the supplies, after seeing that on the list, but still felt I needed something else. I then realized what it was: I should do something nice for Juno. She said she needed an umbrella, so that's what I'd get for her. I stopped by a rain gear store on 72nd and stepped in.

"I got a great water repellant jacket with your name on it at 39.99." Said the clerk.

"Sorry. Don't need one. What I could use is an umbrella."

"Great. Take your pick." He said. He pointed me over to a rack of umbrellas. I saw ones of many different colors. Striped ones, solid ones, even one that was clear. I then saw one that stood out. I picked it off the rack: A bright, canary yellow umbrella. Nothing fancy on it or anything, but it seemed to be one that really stood out, kinda like Juno.

"This one." I said.


	2. Chapter 2: Strained Friendships

Chapter 2- Strained friendships

It was getting dark by the time I arrived home. I'm not a person who takes the transit, nor did I even bother thinking about buying a car. I mean, in New York? When would I drive it? So I walk as my mode of transport around the Apple. As a result, it took me a long time to get there. I headed up the walk into the lobby, up the elevator, and into my apartment. I took my bag and headed over to Cindy and Juno's.

Juno likes this secret knock where when one of her close friends wants into the apartment, they must knock the bass riff from one of her favorite songs I can't remember the name of now. I knocked it, and she answered the door.

"Hey, Ollie! You got the stuff?"

She was wearing one of those loud Hawaiian print shirts. It was so bright, I just tried and avoided eye contact with it by handing her the bag of groceries.

"I also thought you might want this." I said handing the umbrella to her.

"Wow! You'd think I'd really want to stand out in a crowd." She said, sounding a bit disappointed. Then she smiled. "I love it!"

"Nothing too fancy," I said "but I think something that bright and cheerful suits you. I'll bet you'll really pull it off."

"Well, come on in. Just setting up the punch bowl." She said.

So I walked right in to see that Juno may have been a little too flashy by the whole "luau" idea. She had set up a limbo bar and I saw that Cindy wasn't looking too happy while emptying cans of punch into the bowl, clearly wanting to be spending her Friday night doing something better than this. Juno headed into the kitchen with the stuff I brought as I grabbed a few cans and started draining it into the bowl.

"Part of me wants to know why, despite her annoying the hell outta you, you still put up with her, Cindy."

"You'd be surprised at how much fun I realized she can be when she isn't going crazy or stealing other people's boyfriends."

"No need. I know her, and you."

"God, how long? 3 years?"

"Yeah. We went to that Econ class together, and you beat me at the stock game. I believe it was fate we met."

"You really believe in fate?"

"Cindy, that's my forté. I don't believe in coincidences. See I believe that everything happens for a reason. It's always something crazy going on."

I then heard a rumble that I knew too well. It started shaking the apartment as I rushed for the nearest glasses in the kitchen, about to fall to the ground. Cindy did the same while holding the punch bowl down. Juno had just turned on her amp and was playing a riff as loud as she could.

"With all the noise she makes every week, I'm surprised the landlord hasn't evicted you guys." I yelled over the shaking.

"Well, she doesn't really know when it's a bad idea to play it that loud. It's like living with an American girl version of Sherlock Holmes. Always playing their music at the wrong time." Cindy called back.

And almost as soon as it started, it stopped. Juno then walked right out of her room, looking as if it was water off a duck's back.

"J? Can you get more punch from the kitchen?" Said Cindy.

"WHAT?" She called.

"Karma strikes again, Juno." I said, laughing. Juno had lost her hearing for a second.

"Karma bikes on ten? What does that mean?"

I had been so used to these situations happening frequently, that Juno and I both learned a bit of sign language in the event that she blows her eardrums clean out.

"Can you get more punch from the fridge?" I signed.

"Oh! Sure!" She said, running into the kitchen.

"So is anyone else showing up to this punch party?" I asked, throwing lemon wedges into the bowl.

"Mainly Juno's friends from her band: Joe, Mark, Mandy. I think that's about it."

I finished with the lemons and moved onto the rum. Juno soon came back out with another pack of punch.

"How much rum are we putting in the punch?" I signed.

"The whole shebang." She said. "I thinking my hearings coming back a bit." She sat down at the table and opened a bottle to start pouring in.

"Was playing a pretty loud riff there, huh, J?"

"Yeah. I got a goal to one day break a window just by playing my guitar."

"Gotta have one hell of an amp to do that. I think I heard of one that can do that. I know a guy at a music store of of Times Square."

"Really? Cindy-"

"No. I'm not getting evicted because you wanted to commit vandalism using only the laws of physics, and not an actual weapon. Even if you, or your band mates could afford a new amp like that, I'm not letting it in here."

"Buzzkill!" Juno said. She got back to mixing up the punch. "So Ollie, you're joining us tonight?"

"Oh yeah. I find it ironic how my job is a bartender, and I spend my night off getting shit-faced drunk."

"You know something? I think that umbrella's gonna come in handy. Thanks for that." She said.

"Umbrella? You got her one?" Said Cindy.

"Yeah. Nice bright yellow one." Said Juno.

"J, can you give us a minute?"

"Okay..." Juno looked suspicious as she headed into her room.

"What the hell are you doing, Oliver?" Cindy snapped, slapping me upside the head.

"Ow, Cindy! Calm down!"

"I'd be calm if you weren't sending mixed signals like this. You claim you're not falling for Juno, but the day she complains about not having an umbrella, you go out and get one for her. You might say you don't have feelings for her, Ollie, but I keep doubting that more and more."

I then understood. "You know what? I get it, Cindy. Juno makes a few of your guy friends fall head over heels for her, and suddenly she's a guy thief. When I said I wouldn't make a move on her knowing it would jeopardize our friendship, I really meant it. I just think that Juno really needed an umbrella."

Cindy crossed her arms and looked up at me. I'm quite taller than her, but that look made me feel like an ant.

"I don't know, Ollie." She said, suddenly a lot more sad than angry, sitting down at the coffee table. "I don't know if it's her or me."

I sat down beside her, putting my arm around her shoulder. "If you want my opinion, I'll give it to you straight: I think it's both of you. You're always afraid that someone will fall for her, mentioning it to every guy who you end up with, and then her quirkiness snatches them up. I think some guys find that hot. If you really want to sort this out, then you'll talk to her tomorrow."

"Just let me ask you something, Ollie."

"Anything."

"Did you have feelings for her? Like in school?"

I thought a moment. "Yeah, I think I did. She's funny, and smart. But it was a small crush. It didn't take much for me to realize that Juno's not really my type. You girls are more like my sisters than crushes. And I'd take that over the world."

Cindy smiled at me, and Juno walked out into the living room.

"I'm hoping you didn't hear that, J."

"Nah. I was humming Journey songs in there. Even if I did, I think drinking's just gonna make me forget it." Juno's eyes then lit up. "Hold on, I'll be right back."

Cindy smirked. "Like sisters,huh?"

I just smiled back. "Like sisters."

Juno came back with the proper way to start it up: tequila. Pouring carefully into the shot glasses, I prepared myself for the next few hours of foggy memories.

"Ok, what should we toast this for?" Said Cindy.

"I got it!" I said. "To the future. Let's hope that we'll all find what we're looking for out of life: love, family, success. I then say to you two, welcome to the first day of the rest of our lives!"

And with that, we took the shots.


	3. Chapter 3: Lucky Penny

**A/N: BeLengendary: Thanks for those kinds words. Not a lot appreciate my investments in this legendary show. I've watched every episode 3 times, and I'm excited for the final season.**

Chapter 3- Lucky Penny

About 3 hours later, things had gotten a little foggy. My vision was like looking through a smudgy pair of binoculars, and I tripped up a few times. But other than that, I remember most of what happened that night.

I sat up from the couch to see Mark fail at doing the limbo bar: he fell as soon as he brushed up against the bar.

"Dammit, I am so wasted right now, Ollie." Said Mandy, sitting down beside me. This is what I hate most about being a bartender: the drunks I have to face when they go a little too far with drinking. That's one of the very few things I hate about my job.

"So what went on today, Mandy?"

"Oh you know, busker stuff." She said. She plays guitar in Juno's band, and on street corners as a smaller job. "Had to deal with some homeless psycho who tried to make off with the money I made today."

"Anything good?"

"All I remember standing out was a penny from 1939."

"Whoa. Better hold into it. It might be worth a pretty penny, no pun intended. Can I see it?"

Mandy put her hands in her pockets and set her change out. I saw several pennies through the pile, but none marked from 1939. The earliest I saw was from 1976.

"What the hell? It's not here! Where is it?" Mandy starts digging in the change right before passing out.

"J! Mandy just passed out!"

Juno came over. She seemed a bit tipsy too, but I could tell she could see just fine.

"I wouldn't worry, Ollie. She was drunk when she got here. C'mon."

Juno helped me get Mandy into her room, and onto the bed.

"Tough day?"

Juno sat down sighing, wiping her brow. "You could say that. Cindy had a hard time with getting the supplies for the punch. I always get this idea that she hates me. Did she ever say anything to you like that?"

I hesitated. "Honestly, I think you wouldn't like the answer."

"I get it. I've stolen her boyfriends a few times. I really don't mean to."

"Don't say that 'bird's gotta fly, fish's gotta swim' crap to her. She wouldn't like it."

"Yeah. I know. Truth is, most of those guys want a one night hookup. I'm looking for something a lot more."

"Like a long term relationship?"

"Bigger. I want to find the 'one.'"

I've heard this crap before. Every girl like her dreams of finding that guy.

I sat down beside Juno. "Why are you worrying about it now? You're 23, Juno. Focus on having the life you want for yourself before you meet that guy. I don't have full confidence I'll meet my future wife anytime soon. But I don't worry. You shouldn't worry either."

"Heh. You're right, Ollie."

"Damn straight, I am."

We walked back into the living room and flopped onto the couch.

"Still, wouldn't it be just hilarious if the 'one guy' for me were to walk right through that door right now?" She said laughing.

I heard a crash as I saw someone enter the apartment. A guy who looked to be around my age with spiky brown hair, and brown eyes. He looked like he was so drunk, there was only a small amount of blood left in his alcohol stream. He then yelled out, "I'M BACK, BABYDOLL!"

I looked at Juno, and she just stared in awe. "Make that the second guy to go through that door." She said.


	4. Chapter 4: The Architect

Chapter 4-The Architect

I summoned my "bartender mode" and walked up to him. After seeing someone that drunk, party time was over for me. Now it was time to be serious."What's your name?"

"Theodore Evelyn Mosby, young man. But do call me Ted."

"Ok, Ted. How much have you had to drink?"

"Does that matter? All I want tonight is to party long and hard until morning. I've been doing and not thinking since 7 pm tonight, and refuse to stop until dawn." He started leaning to the side, as though he thought I was the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and he wanted to see me upright.

"Look, bro. I don't care what you want to do. You're crashing our party, and I will not tolerate it."

Juno then walked up beside the guy and straightened him out.

"Ah, don't worry, Ollie. Mandy's almost as drunk as this guy and we're letting her stay. Let's just let him hang around."

"Thank you, girl." Ted leaned in and kissed her. Juno immediately pulled away, wiped the slobber off her cheek, and Ted walked into the middle of the party.

"Regretting your decision already?" I asked.

"A little." Said Juno through clenched teeth.

Cindy then walked up to us. "Okay, I got 2 guys who are impossibly trashed in the kitchen. Ollie, I need you to get them outta here."

"No problem." I said, rolling up my sleeves. "I got a system."

I made my way through the small crowd to the two drunks Cindy pointed out.

"Ok fellas. Cutting you off." I said grabbing their ears like a mother to her kids. Might have looked stupid, but experience taught me that this is the most effective way of keeping a squirming drunk in my reach.

I took them down to the street where it was really chilly and dark. I then let them loose to go pass out in the gutter and let the cops take 'em. Unethical, but it's what they do at the bar I work at.

I headed back up to the apartment where Juno and Cindy were grabbing the punch bowl. Both looked worried.

"Problem?" I asked.

"Yeah. The bowl's bone dry. No wonder these guys are going nuts. We need to slow them down before they break something."

Cindy, Juno, and I spent the next 20 minutes rounding up most of the people around the place that were completely wasted, sending them out one by one. Before long, only Mark, Joe, and Ted remained. Mark didn't look to hot, and neither did Joe, but they were nothing compared to what Ted looked like.

"So what did you say you did, Ted?" Said Cindy.

"I'm an architect. Building structures for our beloved city. What about you lovely girls, and the guy in the hoodie?"

"Well we're in school for our Econ degrees, and Ollie works as a bartender." Said Juno.

"Might I say you look ravishing when you speak?" Ted said leaning into her face.

"Can you stop that? Please?" She said, wincing. It was clear that she was smelling his breath from the look on her face.

"Okay." He moped like a 3 year old, sliding back into his spot. "I get it. I spend one night going nuts with the drinking, and even then, other than that girl heading to my apartment after I've called her, no one wants to be with me."

"Really?" I said. "Damn! I wonder why?"

"Beats me." Said Ted, shrugging. "My life's a wreck. I'm gonna die alone."

"Are we really doing this?" Asked Cindy. "Listening to a drunk rave about his pathetic life?"

"Hold on." Said Juno. She knelt down beside Ted, and I sat down across from them.

"God, I'm sorry, folks. I'm clearly not gonna remember anything that's happened tomorrow, so just know that I thank you for letting me party with you." He said.

"It's okay, Ted. I know how you feel." Said Juno.

"Are you alone and no one wants to kiss you?"

"Well, in a way, yeah."

Cindy scoffed. "Well we all know that's crap!"

I stood up between the girls. "Enough, Cindy. Let Juno keep talking to him."

Juno sat closer to Ted. "Sometimes most of the guys who do want me only want a one night hookup. I don't see why I can't find someone to have a long term relationship with."

I could see Cindy look over with a slight interest into what Juno was saying. Maybe she was buying it.

"I feel like because of my quirks, and my happy-go-lucky attitude towards life, it drives people towards me, and away from me at the same time, and I'll never find that 'one' guy as a result."

"I feel that same way too." Said Ted, looking at the ground.

"Well, keep your hopes up, Ted. She's out there. Just gotta look." She said.

Ted looked up. "Yeah, funny thing. I know that's going in one ear and out the other. In fact, I don't even remember what your names are."

"Well I'm Ollie-" I started to say.

Cindy held her hand up. "Don't bother. He said it himself. He's not remembering this night after all that crap that he's drank."

"Speaking of which, what's with Ben and Mark?"

"They both passed out a few minutes ago. I'll let them sleep it off for the night." Says Cindy.

"I say we should probably give Ted some space, J." I say.

"Fair enough." Juno stood up and took a few steps back. Ted then immediately fell over, and passed out, with the night claiming it's last fainter.

"Crazy 8s?" I asked.

"What the hell?" Said Juno, shrugging.

So we spent the next half hour playing Crazy 8s. After a while, I heard some rustling over by the couch. It was Juno's turn.

"Spades." She said, laying down an 8.

"Dammit." I said. But I wasn't focused on the game at the moment, but at Ted. The man looked like he was just waking from a nightmare. All of the sudden, he jumped up and screamed.

"DARY! LEGENDARY!" He sprinted out of the living room and into the kitchen.

"God!" Exclaimed Cindy. "That guy'll never calm down."

I then set my cards down and ran into the kitchen. Ted had just grabbed the pineapple I had bought that day. For some reason, we didn't remember to put it in the punch. Ted started holding it up above his head like a gold medal winner on the podium, chanting what sounded like Hawaiian gibberish.

"Put the pineapple down, bro," I said. "Or I will kick your ass. And for that matter, why did you even grab it?"

"BECAUSE I CAN, SUCKER! HAHAHAHA!" He ran out of the kitchen and the apartment, flipping me off. I sprinted after him, with Juno following close behind. We ran after Ted in through the hallways, down the stairs, out onto the streets. By then both me and Juno were exhausted, and we were losing ground on Ted as a result. Soon, he was long gone into the city's streets, the pineapple with him.

"Think we can find him?" Said Juno.

"Not unless that pineapple has some crazy tracker technology from Skynet." I said. "He's long gone."

"Why did you chase after him? All he took was a pineapple."

"Well, why did you chase him, too?" I replied, smirking.

"I don't know. I feel like Ted was an important person to meet in my life. It's just a shame he'll most likely forget me the minute someone finds him passed out in the gutter."

"Don't tell me you actually wanted to date that loser?" I asked.

"Not even in the slightest. But I feel something."

"What?"

"Destiny: I was meant to meet him. I just don't know why."

"Life's not really about why, Juno. It's about what. As in, what will you do with the hand you're dealt? If you want to search this damn haystack for a drunken needle, then be my guest. Just don't expect my help."

"But don't you always talk about destiny and fate?"

"Yeah, but you meet one guy drunk off his ass, and you think he's important? C'mon."

"Well," said Juno as we started back to to the apartment. "Aside from dealing with drunken idiots and a pineapple thief, I had a good time tonight."

"Are we doing this again sometime?" I asked.

"Hell no. Unless if you got any other ideas?"

"Drinks on the house when it's my shift at the bar?"

"Now you're talking."

We opened the door to the apartment. Cindy was waiting for us.

"So where's our spaz?" She asked.

"Gone." I said. "Took off along with that pineapple I bought today. Look Cindy, about back there-"

Cindy held up a finger to shush me. "Juno, I don't know how you felt about tonight, but I did not have a good time. We are not doing this ever again, and frankly, I think I'd like to forget that this night ever happened. So what about you, Ollie?"

"I don't know. I'll be glad to forget this night too." I said, trembling slightly fearful.

"Good. One more thing, Juno. After hearing your side of things, about all those guys you stole from me, just know that I only understand your position in this. Doesn't mean I like it, or will want to tolerate it. Now I'm wiped, so good night to you both." Cindy stormed into her room.

"I think I may have made things a bit worse between me and Cindy."

"With that being said, how about we listen to what she said, and after we clean the mess up tomorrow, we forget this night? Never happened?"

Juno nodded. "Never happened."

So the next day, after a good long sleep, me, Juno, and Cindy cleaned up the apartment, restocked on everything we had lost over the night, and tried to do what we could to forget that night. But what I learned a few years later is that it's never that easy to forget certain events.


	5. Chapter 5: Live Like

Chapter 5- Live like there's...

-events set during "No Tomorrow"-

**A/N: ImperiumWife: First off, glad you enjoy my work, as I enjoy your HIMYM stories too. And second, good guess on what happened next.**

I had managed to secure a small bartender shift at a club owned by a friend for a St. Patrick's day party a few years later. It was only a one night job, so I invited Juno to have some free drinks and a good time.

The night was hard on me. I only had my hoodie in the pouring rain on the way there, and I had never served as many drinks in one night. Other than seeing the endless sea of drunk chicks, it wasn't a good night. And then, in the middle of my shift, I saw the one person who I was both shocked, and not at all surprised to see there: Ted. He jumped right out at me in the middle of the party with a friend in the most ridiculous green suit, asking for two expensive bottles of champagne, putting it on a guy named "Garedo's" tab. I knew two facts: one, that he wasn't Garedo because I saw the actual guy order drinks earlier, and two, that he would be getting his ass handed to him for ordering the drinks on Garedo's tab. I was tempted to ask him if he remembered me, but he wasn't reacting as if he knew me when he asked for the drinks. Clearly he was so drunk so long ago he really did forget the night like he said he would. So I casually played along, handing him the bottles of champagne, and his free caviar for them. He was astounded, probably at how good things were happening to him.

"I'm working on this theory. You know karma?" He said.

"Know it? I'm a firm believer in it." I replied.

"Well, buddy, I think the universe is taking the night off. I'm doing bad things and nothing's happened. Maybe you should try it."

"What do you mean by that buddy?"

"Get so drunk you pass out." Of course someone like this guy would say that. I was starting to think he had a real drinking problem.

"Not likely buddy." I said. "I got a job to do. I met someone a few years ago who turned me off of drinking that much by setting an example." I gave him a look hoping he got the message.

"Whatever. Your loss, man." He said, walking away.

I got back to work until Juno came by a few minutes later.

"I'm feeling a good scotch, Ollie. You got a recommendation?"

"Absolutely." I said, happy to have Ted gone. I poured us two drinks and we started talking.

"You're not gonna believe who I saw a few minutes ago." I said.

"Who?"

I then saw him right behind her. "Look man!" Said Ted to a tall man in front of him. It was the real Garedo. "I think there's a perfectly good explana-"

A good fist in the jaw cut him off from finishing his sentence. He fell down onto the ground as I vaulted over the bar and over to the guy who just socked Ted right in the face.

"Lay off him, Mr. Garedo." I said.

"He put it on my tab!" He snarled with clenched fists. "I'll be getting my money back!"

"Absolutely, sir. Just let me call the police, they'll get this sorted out, I will have this guy here," I pulled Ted up onto his feet. "pay for his drinks, we will have your tab fixed up, and anything else you want, you'll get."

"I want this guy's hand broken." He snarled.

"Well, that you can't have." I said, sheepishly, laughing a bit.

"I'll be getting free drinks." He said.

"Absolutely, sir. Just lay off while I bill him.

Garedo stood over by the bar as Juno spoke up.

"I should get going, Ollie. You got a lot on your hands, and I don't wanna cause trouble."

"Wait! This is the guy you're looking for! Don't you want to meet him? This has gotta be fate!" I said.

"No way, bro. You think with him being drunk last time, he's gonna remember meeting me this time? And for that matter, he's been a jerk to everyone at this bar tonight." She replied. "I don't want to meet someone like that."

"Fine. Don't wait up. I'll see you tomorrow."

Juno walked out while I dusted Ted off. I called the police where they took Garedo away on account of the assault. Afterwards I was asked to be the one to bill Ted for the tab.

"Rough night, huh?" I said, handing him an ice pack while the cops took Garedo away.

"Not too bad. I'm doing awesome."

I felt a little bad for Ted, after seeing his bill, and his shiner: Both looked massive.

"Here." I said, handing him a beer. "On the house."

"Thanks, man." Said Ted. "I'm Ted."

I felt silly introducing ourselves to each other again, but I played along.

"Hey Ted. I'm Oliver. Call me Ollie." I shook his hand.

Ted's friend in the tacky green suit then walked up to me.

"I'm taking a scotch and soda on the house." He said.

"Fine. That's 5.50" I said.

"I thought the drinks were on the house." He said, puzzled.

"Yeah. But I didn't see you get punched in the face. Get lost, Peter Pan."

Clearly jealous of Ted getting free drinks, he simply walked away.

Ted took a long swig of his beer, not paying attention to the suit guy. "You ever feel like your life has no direction, Oliver?"

"Not really." I said, shrugging. "I enjoy what I do. Although, my goal to open my own bar hasn't been accomplished yet."

"Yeah, I feel that way too. My life's okay, but my love life seems to be heading into the fire. It's like I never'll find the 'one' for me."

"I know exactly what you mean." I said, smirking. "I have a friend feeling the same way."

Ted told me a story about his goal to build a skyscraper in New York. It seemed like he was a little kid with big dreams, but I understood. He wanted something good to happen in his life. Seems like the summary of what happens says he wasn't doing too good. He did recently meet a girl who lived in New Jersey, so at least he had that.

Ted and I spent the rest of the night drinking and talking. I don't remember passing out, but I hope it was from the lack of sleep and not over-drinking. I woke up the next morning, laying on the bar with my face pressed up firmly against the table, where I was lying on it among the spilled drinks. I got my wakeup call from Juno, lightly slapping me in the face.

"Wakey-wakey." She said in a sing song voice.

"Gaugh." I grunted. "Oh, hey Juno. What are you doing back here? And what time is it?"

"It's 11 am. I'm back here because I need your help."

"The next morning? Damn, I must have had a bit to drink." I slid off the bar and stood up, dusting myself off. "What do you need?"

"I can't find my umbrella in the closet. Did you happen to know if someone took it?"

"Not really. Last I remember was talking to Ted."

"Oh, come on, Ollie." She said, a little angry. "He was a jackass."

"What? He's actually a nice guy. You should just give him a chance when he's sober."

"Well, okay. In the meantime, can you help me find my umbrella?"

"Sure."

Juno and I spent over an hour and a half looking through the bar for the umbrella. Finally one of the cleaning guys gave us an answer to where it went.

"Some younger guy took off with it about an hour before you showed up. I don't blame him; it's pouring out there."

Juno and I headed back to the bar area.

"Goddamn it!" She snapped, knocking over a few glasses.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"No. That umbrella meant something to me. I feel it's the thing that shows our friendship."

I laughed. She always loved that umbrella after I got it for her. "C'mon." I said. "Let's go home."

"Are you kidding?" She said laughing. "It's pouring out there."

"Yeah." I said, laughing more. "And I don't give a damn."


	6. Chapter 6: The Professor

Chapter 6- The Professor

**A/N: as a bonus, try to find the hidden Barney reference somewhere in this**

-events set during "Definitions."-

It was a crisp morning in early September. The leaves had been starting to change, and the nights were getting cooler. I on the other hand, wasn't too happy.

"This is bullshit. Why do I have to take this again?"

Cindy shrugged. "Don't blame anyone, Ollie. The computer system screwed up your permanent record, and now you gotta retake a whole semester."

"Still, do I really deserve it? I hate this."

The three of us were headed to the first class of the semester at Columbia University. As Cindy had said, the computer system had glitched out. I was contacted a month ago by my old Econ professor, who told me that the glitch had removed the records of me showing up in several classes, as well as the record of me taking a few tests. If I wanted to keep my degree, I had to take an extra semester, and the tests again.

"Who knows, Ollie?" Said Juno. "New York may still be in need of a bartending economist."

"Look, you girls can laugh at it, but you're both still taking school here. I left almost 6 years ago. I didn't intend on another day here, let alone a semester."

"Well, you gotta take it if you want to keep the diploma." We entered the lecture hall, making our way around the furthest back row, to the far side.

"How about these ones?" Asked Juno. She pointed at three seats close to the back.

I nodded, and we sat down.

"So what's the plan now, Cindy?" I asked.

"Write my dissertation, and get my Phd."

"What jobs need you to have a Phd in Econ? I took it for 3 years, and I still don't know what the hell it is."

"Well there's..." Cindy paused, looking puzzled. "Or what about..."

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Funny. I can only think of jobs that you'd only need a simple degree in to get. There isn't a job that comes to mind that requires a Phd in this."

"Perfect. So I guess the only difference is the kind of money you can make in this field."

"I guess so. Oh! There's the professor. Better quiet down."

The professor walked down the steps of the lecture hall to the front of it, where he stood at the podium.

"Hang on. That looks like..." I said.

"Good Morning. S'up dudes! SILENCE!" Said the professor. "My names Professor Mosby, but you can call me Ted!"

I looked over at Juno, seeing if she was just as amazed as I was. But her eyes were fixated on Ted. There was no point in looking for a reaction, and no need either. She was just as freaked.

Ted continued to talk, thinking he was in the right class. He spent his time at the front giving me the most stupid 7 minutes of my life, looking at that guy act like a huge loser.

He kept refusing to take questions from the students, when it could have made his life a lot easier if one of them told him that this was Econ 305.

At one point, Ted then said something about there being an doubt that any of us don't want to go into architecture, then we should all leave. I'd say about 83 percent of the class got up to leave, but in the midst of it, a short African-American man with glasses walked in. I recognized him as Prof. Calzonetti, the professor who now taught Econ.

"Everyone," He said. "My name is Professor Calzonetti, this is Econ 305, and you may return to your seats."

Ted laughed. "Sorry, dude. This is Architecture 101."

"Young man," said Calzonetti, informatively. "For 28 years, Econ 305 has always been taught in this lecture hall. You're in the wrong room."

Ted looked at him in disbelief. "I'm sure 200 architecture students and their professor got the room wrong."

I then called out. "T-Dog! You're in the wrong room!"

Everyone laughed as Ted ran up the lecture hall steps with his stuff, and Calzonetti got up to the front.

"How much time did he waste?" He asked us.

"Just under 10 minutes, Professor."

"Alright. If you will open your books, we will begin."

"That was nuts." I said to Cindy and Juno when class ended.

"No kidding. Why is he teaching here now?" Said Cindy.

"I don't know, and I don't intend to find out."

Juno remained quiet, not saying a word to us, as she and Cindy headed off to the next class, while I headed to the front of the hall to the Professor.

I cleared my throat, and he looked up.

"Yes?" He said, emotionlessly. This was one of the many reasons I was so upset on returning to school. The professors are always so intimidating, that they practically take your entire ability to talk away from you. Finally, I found my voice.

"Great speech, Professor."

"Thank you. What do you want?" He said, getting straight to the point.

"I was told to see you by my old professor. My name is Oliver Blake."

"Ah. Yes, I was informed of your attendance. What are you here for?"

"I was told by my previous professor I'll need to check in and out every class. I'm just here to say I was in attendance."

"Thank you. You're free to leave."

He waved me out, and I headed out of the hall, my thoughts overflowing. Why was Ted here? It made no sense.


	7. Chapter 7: The Yellow Boomerang

Chapter 7- The Yellow Boomerang

-events set during "Girls vs. Suits"-

Another night, another 5 hours at the bar. I got my jacket on as I was heading out the door. I walked out into the hallway, and started locking my door when the next door opened. Juno came out in a bathrobe, her hair looking slightly damp.

"Hey Juno." Over the years I've grown used to her standing out like a sore thumb like this, so her coming out into the hallway wearing a bathrobe didn't throw me off in any way.

"Did you leave this here?" She asked, holding out something that I was blown away to see. It was almost like a lifetime ago since I last saw it: her yellow umbrella.

"What the hell...? No I didn't. It never occurred to me that I should have gotten you a new one." I thought the umbrella was stolen at the club 2 years ago.

"Ollie, I think this is the same one that I had in the first place. I see a scratch I made on the handle on the first one in a specific place is there." She pointed to it.

"Well I got no idea where it came from." I said.

"I do." Said a voice at the doorway. Cindy stepped into the hallway. "C'mon. Both of you."

"But, um..." Cindy looked pretty pissed. "I got my shift." I said.

"Now, Oliver!"

"Ok." I said lightly stepping into her apartment.

"Juno, give us a minute while you put something on." Said Cindy.

Juno didn't say anything as she walked into her room.

"Problem?" I asked, sitting on the couch.

"God! I had someone new to talk to, and even this guy, who doesn't even remember meeting Juno falls in love with her."

"Ok, I need some holes filled in here, please."

"I'm sorry, Ollie. It's just, I was just on a date, and the usual thing happened."

If you knew those two girls, then it didn't take a genius to figure out what was the usual procedure "He fell for Juno." I said.

"He fell for Juno." She said almost simultaneously. "He saw a whole bunch of the stuff she's lent me, or gave me, and then freaked out when he saw her bass. And you're not gonna believe who it was."

Only one thought sprung to my mind for some reason: "Ted."

Cindy nodded. "That guy met me about a week ago and we went on a date. I guess you can fill in the blanks."

"No trouble there." and then I realized how the umbrella was left here: "He's the one who had the umbrella this whole time." It sounded weird to find out this strange fact: why did Ted have it? This can't be an accident. I gave Cindy another look.

"Read my lips Ollie." Said Cindy, almost reading my mind. "It. Was. A. Coincidence!"

"No, I don't think so. No such thing as coincidences. See, I believe that everything happens for a reason" Cindy scowled at me, so I continued "So what happened next?"

"I kicked him out after he tried asking me about Juno."

"It's okay, Cindy. I think I understand it. You don't have to be so upset."

Cindy started tearing up a bit. "Why is it that I'm always overlooked by every guy I meet?"

"Hey, I'm a guy. But I just happen to be one of your best friends. I swear to you that the right one is out there for you. And I'll help you find him."

Cindy gave me a short hug. "Thanks, Ollie. You always know the right thing to say. I don't know. Maybe you might be onto something."

"Hell yeah, I am. Now I don't mean to be abrupt, but I gotta get going. The drinkers of the Big Apple are calling." I started towards the door.

"You think that the one is out there for me?"

I looked back at her. "There's one for everyone. We just don't have any knowledge of when we'll meet them."

I headed out of the apartment, closing the door behind me. I started down the hall when the door opened behind me.

"Ollie, wait!" It was Juno, wearing a hoodie with a guitar on it and a pair of jeans.

"Oh hey, J. Where are you headed?"

"The bar with you. I think Cindy needs some time alone."

"Sounds about right."

We started down the stairs.

"Happened to catch a glimpse of one of your athletic robots painting." I said.

"And? Any thoughts?"

"I wouldn't mind one for my apartment. "Can you do one with ice hockey?"

"Sure thing." she said, grinning. "Awesome! I was hoping someone would say something about them. Other than Cindy, who thought it looks weird, no one's seen them. Glad someone enjoys them."

"I don't see why not on them. Why Cindy finds them bizarre, I'll never know. I'd say the proper description is 'outgoing'"

"Yeah, you're right. Cindy just doesn't find me that amusing or fun to have around like she used to. I think it went downhill ever since that thing when we first met Ted."

"J, do you believe in fate?" I suddenly asked.

"Ollie, c'mon. You're talking to the Queen of believers in that stuff. Why do you ask?"

"It's just Cindy. She keeps saying to me that my whole theory on 'everything happens for a reason' is bullshit. It can't be a coincidence that we're seeing this guy more and more."


	8. Chapter 8: New Guy On The Job

Chapter 8: New Guy On The Job

**A/N: The last chapter was pretty short, so I decided to post two chapters in one day.**

-events set during "Big Days"-

I was in my apartment watching the latest episode of Big Bang Theory when I got a knock at my door.

"Hold on!" I said. I paused it just as Sheldon was starting to rant about something.

I opened the door to find Cindy.

"Hey, Cindy. Come on in."

"Thanks. I won't be here long." She said.

"So what's going on?"

"There's something that I recently found out, and I think that you should be the first person in my life to find out, being my best friend, and all."

"Well, damn. I'm...honored. I guess." I said, a bit perplexed.

Cindy took a few deep breaths before she finally laid it out for me clearly. "Okay here goes: I'm gay."

It was like getting hit like a bunch of firecrackers, which I guess is what Sheldon feels when people do the little things to him. It's hard to figure out what to say next when your best friend comes out of the closet.

"How long have you known?" I asked.

"About 3 weeks. I've been seeing this girl, Casey, recently, and things are doing okay."

"Well great! That's fantastic."

Cindy looked surprised. "So no problem?"

I nodded. "Absolutely no problem. I don't really see what you needed to be so worried about, and yet it makes sense. In fact, how about this. You come to the bar I just got a new job at, and I'll give you and your date a great night."

"Thanks, Ollie. I had a feeling you were the right person to talk about this to. So where's this bar you got a new job at?"

"I've known the owner for a bit now. He needs a new position filled. After 8 years of bar-tending under my belt, I think this'll be no problem."

"So where is it?"

"It's 75th and Amsterdam. It's called Maclaren's Pub."

* * *

A few nights later, I arrived at the bar for my shift. This was only my second week on the job, but I seemed to be fitting in quite nicely. Carl, the owner even liked me behind the bar as his newest employee.

"Might I say, Ollie, that the bar really suits you." He said, once.

That night, it seemed a little quiet. Cindy had set the date up for 7, so I arrived at 6. I headed down the steps into the bar. Carl was standing at the bar.

"There you are, Ollie." He said. "Now I want you to pay close attention to me right now. Right?" He gave me the 'look' sign with his fingers.

"Right." I responded.

"Now that guy there? At that booth? He's one of my loyal customers here. I want you to do one of two things: make sure he stays a regular here, or don't talk to him." He pointed me to the one person I didn't want to see here most of all at the moment.

"I got it." I said, remaining calm.

Carl grinned. "I knew I could count on you, Ollie. Now keep the people happy, and do good!"

"Yes sir." I saluted.

Carl then walked out.

I grabbed a rag and got settled in. Soon enough, Ted walked over to the bar.

"Beer please. Anything you'd recommend in a bottle."

I handed him a cold one right from the fridge.

"I feel like I know you from somewhere." He said, taking a sip.

"Funny. I feel that way too, T-Dog." I said, sniggering.

"Dammit! Econ 305 keeps catching up to me. You were there?"

"Oh yeah. You were a fool, man." I put down the rag. "We met before that, though. St. Patrick's Day a few years ago. I gave you free drinks that night."

"Oh yeah." Said Ted, realization spreading across his face. "Well then, bartender," he stood up. "Nice to see you again. What your name?"

"Ollie, and it's good to see you too, pal!" I raised a hand as I started wiping down the counter. It was a few minutes before I was called by name again.

"Hi. You're...Oliver right?"

I looked up to see a pretty blonde in a cashmere sweater.

"Oh, please. My friends call me Ollie. Casey, I presume?" I said, reaching over the bar.

"Yes." She said, shaking my hand. "You're a friend of Cindy's?"

"Oh yeah." I said, grinning. I couldn't help but notice that she looked nervous. Was it because of the date, or was it because she was afraid of being judged? I decided to show her I was accepting.

"You look like you could use a drink." I said.

"Gin and Tonic, please. But not too strong."

"Playing it safe, huh. I understand that completely." I said, pouring her drink.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. But enough about me. You're on a date with Cindy, and I'll gladly stay out of your hair. You need anything, just let me know."

I spent most of the night serving drinks, flicking my bottle opener opened and closed, and pointlessly wiping down the bar. Cindy arrived about 20 minutes after Casey showed up, and I stayed clear for most of the night. At one point Cindy noticed Ted and walked over.

"Oh, Goddamn, this isn't good." I then mentally prepared myself to intervene if things went to hell. But she hugged him instead. Casey looked confused.

"Who's that? An old friend?"

"Something like that. I know him."

"So what's the deal with him and Cindy?"

"I think you'd rather hear it from Cindy than from me." I advised.

Soon after Cindy came back to the bar.

"You didn't tell me he was a regular here." She said, frustrated.

"Up until this point I had no idea! I just found out tonight."

"Who was that, Cindy?" Asked Casey.

"Oh, him? That's Ted. I dated him once before I came out, but other than that, it wasn't that big."

"Oh. That's all?"

"Yeah. Why? Did Ollie say something?"

I then spoke up. "We've known about him for almost 5 years now. He crashed a party we threw a few years ago, drunk off his ass, but it's clear he forgot what happened that night. He didn't recognize me, or Cindy when we met again."

"Oh. Why would that concern you then, Ollie?" Said Casey.

I thought for a second. "No idea. Just don't understand it. It's like we keep running into him at random moments. It's almost as if they're supposed to be happening." I looked at Cindy.

She rolled her eyes. "Ollie here is convinced that our meetings with Ted are not by chance, but by some kind of higher power."

"What like karma?" Said Casey

"Not really." I replied. "I mean fate. It's like something is trying to get us to meet Ted for some reason. I just don't understand it."

"You think you'll find it out?"

"Maybe. I only just started as a bartender here. I might find out a thing or two about him. In any case, I'll get out of your way now." I walked over to the other side of the bar to continue serving drinks.

A few minutes later, I saw something I thought even the biggest Muggle would say was magical. I looked over at one point to see Cindy making her move on Casey.

"C'mon, Cindy. You can do this." I said, quietly under my breath.

Cindy leaned in and kissed Casey. I couldn't help but give Cindy the thumbs up. Even with her eyes closed, I could tell she knew what I was doing, because she gave me the thumbs up, over Casey's shoulder.

The rest of the night continued on like any old bartender shift. Ted's friend from St. Patrick's day ended up going over and ordering a scotch.

"Don't remember me, huh?" I asked, pouring him a drink; He didn't make a second glance at me after ordering.

"Kid, I don't remember the last girl I slept with. Nothing personal."

"Yeah that's fair. To be honest I didn't recognize you at first because you aren't wearing the most tacky suit on the face of the Earth."

His ears went red. "You take that back. I have never worn a suit like the one you've described."

"Okaaay, man! Just chill out. Here." I handed him his drink.

"Just out of curiosity, have we really met before?"

"Yeah. St. Patrick's Day, 2008. I refused to give you free drinks, and called you Peter Pan."

"Nah. Doesn't ring a bell. All I remember was finding some other way to get free booze after I left. But you do seem a bit familiar. What's your name, kid?"

"Oliver."

"Oliver, huh? You know Oliver? I like you. You fit the role of bartender well."

"Call me Ollie."

He nodded, as he walked back with his drink.

Cindy then stood up with Casey as they began to walk out of the bar.

"Well you ladies have a good night, now. Don't be a stranger!" I said, laughing.

"Does he normally do this?" Asked Casey.

"Not really. That's just him being a smart ass." They headed out the door.

I kept thinking about it. This was yet another encounter with our little friend. Why did this keep happening? I only got this job because I had known Carl from a bartending course I took a few years ago. A little voice then popped into my head.

"C'mon, Ollie. You always believe in fate and it's reasons. What's the reason for this happening? Everything that happens has one."

I tried to answer, but nothing came. It was like looking for the light at the end of a tunnel shrouded in mystery. I couldn't see anything.


	9. Chapter 9: The Guy in The Suit

Chapter 9: The Guy in the Suit

-set after "Cleaning House"-

Bartending is a lot like being a chemist. Although these days I think Breaking Bad has made people think that the only thing chemists know how to make is meth. But it's like chemistry. No, strike that: it IS chemistry. Just a different branch of it. Some parts of your job is making new formulas to try on subjects, and the rest of it is making formulas that every other bartender already knows. I've worked for a long time trying to develop a new drink, but have failed miserably. Last guy who tried my attempt at a "molniya" left the bar, and I was fired on the spot. That's what led me to Maclaren's. Juno always told me to keep trying, but I can't seem to be able to get the right amount of mixtures into the drink I'm trying. But I know I'll get it one day.

One night at the bar I was pouring a shot of vodka back and forth between two shot glasses aimlessly, when one of Ted's friends who I remembered from around here appeared. It was the blonde guy who was wearing the tacky green suit on St. Patrick's Day.

"Hey, kid. I could use a gin and tonic."

I started shooting up the drink into a glass with the beverage gun. "You know there's definitely not that much age difference between us, old man." I replied.

The man's face flushed. "Fair enough. Why don't we start with names? You got one, kid?" He got up real close to my face like two guys threatening each other in the movies.

"Yeah. I told it to you like a couple weeks ago" I growled. "It's Oliver."

"Well then, Oliver." He backed away. "How do you enjoy working here?"

"Uh, what?" I was caught off guard. I didn't expect that kind of question.

"How do you enjoy working at Maclaren's?" He said, again.

I handed him his drink. "It's great. I just started here, and I'm already getting a reputation around here. I see a future working here for a while."

"Well then, I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Barney Stinson."

"Yeah, yeah. Ted's told me. Think you're so awesome because you wear suits. Listen, bro. Not every girl in New York'll sleep with you because you have a suit."

"Correction. They'll sleep with me because I have a whole closet of them." Barney smirked.

"No, man. I mean, there's more to it than that. I see guys try to pick girls up all the time, and they get them home without wearing suits."

"Barely possible, young Skywalker." He waved me off.

"First off, I'm flattered you compared me to Luke Skywalker. And second, just watch."

I then looked over the pub, seeing a group of girls sitting in a booth in the corner.

"Watch and learn, bitch." I said to Barney. He rolled his eyes, sitting down on one of the stools by the bar to watch me while I made my way to the booth.

The girls in the booth looked up at me as I approached the booth.

"Ladies, I will give you a free round of drinks if you can simply do me one favor." I explained.

"And that is?" Said a petite blonde, looking a bit interested.

"The guy at the bar in the suit?" I gestured back to him, and they looked over at him. "I'm trying to prove a point to him. If you'll just make it look like I got one of you to give me your number, the drinks are yours."

A redhead shook her head in disgust. "You're nuts."

The blonde looked back at her. "I don't know. He's hot. And he's a bartender." She grabbed a napkin and scribbled her number on it.

I grabbed it, and replied."Drinks are all yours, ladies.", as I headed back to the bar.

Barney had been watching, and he was impressed. "I was clearly wrong. You are no learner. Now you are the master."

I ripped up the napkin. "Eh. I got what I wanted. Now I can say that some girls think bartenders are hot."

"Well played there, Oliver."

"Call me Ollie. Everyone does." I vaulted back over the bar table, back to my spot.

"Can I ask you something, Ollie?" Said Barney.

"Barney, I'm a bartender. Answering questions and listening to customers rant is my job description. Yeah, you can ask me a question."

Barney laughed. "True story." Then he went back to serious. "Do you know who your dad is?"

I laughed. That subject was always something that had a history with me. "Yeah, I do. He and I haven't really seen eye to eye on my career choice. He saw me doing successful things on Wall Street, and I wanted to own a bar. He hated that, but we still talk."

Barney sighed. "Well at least you know who he is."

I set down my rag. "You don't know who your dad is? That's rough."

"No. My mom raised me herself, and just the other day, she gave me the opportunity to contact him. I can't do it."

"Why not?"

"My mom raised me and my half-brother James amazingly on her own. I can sort of see why. I don't want to contact him."

"Barney, I want you to listen to me. I may be a stranger right now, but people say I give good advice: I understand you don't want to meet him, but maybe it might be a good idea to wait a while at least. Contact him when you're ready."

Barney waved me off. "Like you understand it." He set down his now empty glass, and walked out.

Barney turned out to be a lot nicer than I had expected. We had a common preference for drinks. I happened to enjoy a Glen Mckenna scotch as much as him, and he gave me his approval for that. He told me of the craziest plays he's pulled on women around New York, one in particular I know could work under the right circumstances. He called it the "He's Not Coming", which I think can speak for itself. All you would do is say that to any random girl, and wait for the waterworks.

A few nights later, he came into the bar.

"Hello, Barney." I said.

"Hey. Listen, I got a play I need to run, you interested?"

I looked over in interest. "Who's under your sights?" I asked.

Barney grinned. "Yes! I was hoping for your help. I'm feeling the Blondie in the corner booth." He pointed over at a blonde on the far side.

"Nah, man." I replied. "I'd go for vodka drinking brunette." I pointed at a brunette over at one of the tables.

Barney looked back at me, clearly impressed. "You have good taste, Ollie. How shall we play this?"

He produced a leather bound book from his jacket. Written across it, in gold letters was "The Playbook".

He opened it to show several plays. He and I looked down at it. It felt that if a camera was pointed at our faces from the book, we'd look like CSI coroners examining a body.

"How shall this be done? The 'SNASA'? The 'Lorenzo Von Matterhorn?'"

Half of what he was saying made no sense, sounding like complete gibberish. But then one play caught my eye.

"What about this one?" I asked, pointing at it. "The 'Don't Drink That'?"

Barney laughed. "Hah! That's one for rookies, my friend. It's too easy."

"But now you have a bartender to help you with this. You could make it look like I'm the one who slipped it in the drink."

Barney was about to say something, but then paused. "That actually doesn't sound like a bad idea. Let's do it."

I poured a glass of vodka, and went over to the brunette, saying it was on the house. After going back to the bar, Barney stepped up, saying whatever dialogue was part of the play. It must have worked, because she was soon giving me dirty looks. Barney led her out of the bar, slipping me a piece of paper on the way out. I picked it up and read it. It was a phone number, which I assumed was Barney's. He texted me later, giving me thanks for my help, and a link to his blog. Needless to say, after that night, we became much closer friends.


	10. Chapter 10: Lines Drawn and Crossed

Chapter 10: Lines drawn and crossed

-set during "Canning Randy"-

One will learn throughout life that Corporate America isn't a place where there are alliances. It's a vast wasteland, with the most evil ones stabbing their friends in the back just to make an extra million. But even in that situation, there have to be lines, and boundaries. This is one of the reasons why I avoided going to Wall Street, and instead choosing the path I preferred. Ted, I could tell, didn't want that path either, and yet had to suffer something big, not too long after I started at my job.

That night, Ted showed up looking stressed out further than what I expected from normal New Yorkers. It looked as though an angry mob had chased him to the bar.

"Hey, Ted. What's going on?"

Ted sat down right in front of me. "Hey Ollie. I'll tell you what's up: My class hates me!"

In the classes I took at school, I'd met a few of Ted's legit students after the mix up with Econ 305, and they all seemed to like him, so this came as a surprise to me. "What are you talking about?"

"Are you familiar with what GNB is doing?"

"I've heard bits and pieces of it from you, Marshall, and Barney. But other than that, no."

"We're planning on making a new GNB headquarters, but we're tearing down an older building to make room for it: The Arcadian."

I nodded. "I know that place. Older hotel that opened in the earlier half of the 20th century. Now it's a place for rats and homeless guys."

"Well, there's an army of New Yorkers that want to save the Arcadian from being torn down, and leading the charge is this girl Zoey."

"I hate her already." I said with false vengeance.

Ted sniggered. "Anyways, she enrolled in my class, and is now trashing me to my students. None of them showed up for class today."

I was appalled. "No way!"

Ted nodded. "Yeah. She went that far to ruin my career."

I then got an idea. "Ted, I gotta tell you something."

Ted gave me the sign he was listening as I began.

"I wasn't in Econ as a regular student. The computer glitched out and erased the records of several tests I took. If I wanted to keep my diploma, I had to get passing marks in 5 classes, and the tests that I lost, I had to retake. No questions asked"

Ted looked at me, puzzled. "Your point?"

"That diploma was my motivation to staying in school. I'd get it taken away if I didn't show up for even one of the classes I was in."

Ted started thinking. "So you're saying that the only reason you didn't miss a single one of your classes was fear of getting the diploma taken away?"

"Yeah. Can you see what I mean?"

"I think so. I'll get back to you on that."

The next morning, I was headed to campus to finish up my paperwork to leave Columbia. After my last semester there, I would have to go to the main office to sort the paperwork out before officially declaring myself graduated. I was walking with Juno, when I heard a ruckus.

"You go on ahead, J. I'll catch up." I said.

"Alright. I'll see you later."

I headed to the source of the ruckus. A large crowd of protesters were gathered around the doors to the lecture halls. All of them were speaking out against GNB.

A blonde in a knit beret, who I assumed was Zoey, was shouting commands to them. Ted was off to the side, on his phone.

I ran over. "I assume you need help, Professor?" I asked.

"That would be good. Lily said use fear, like you said as well. How do I do that?"

"Use your imagination. I'll see if I can calm them down."

I ran up. "Oi! You guys! Listen to me! I am Ollie! An Econ student, and friend of Professor Mosby! The Arcadian is no treasure to New York! All things must come to an end, and-"

The eggs started getting tossed, and I narrowly avoided them as Ted walked up.

"Anyone not in class tomorrow gets an 'F'" he called.

The students silenced down, and Zoey's malevolent smile faded.

"That's what you get, Pierson!" I yelled. I walked off towards the Econ department, my finger high in the air, with Zoey staring back at me in anger.

-events set during "Natural History"-

One morning, I got up feeling in a good mood. I walked over to the door, grabbing my copy of the Times, and over to the kitchen for my morning coffee.

After reading the headlines, and pouring my coffee, I sat down at the table. It was set up right beside the window, giving me a view of the street below. Not the best view you can have in New York, but the best views will cost you all of your limbs, as opposed to just an arm and a leg.

I flipped the paper through, taking a sip of coffee. I then noticed something that made me spew the coffee all over the counter top, and my shirt: Zoey had written an article in the paper, protesting the Arcadian's destruction, and trashing Ted at the same time. What made it worse was that Ted was addressed by name in it and everything.

"Oh, you bitch!" I growled.

I heard a knock on the door.

"It's open!" I called, not taking my eyes off the paper.

Juno walked in, clearly tired beyond function from what she was saying.

"Coffee, I need coffee!" She moaned.

"Help yourself, J. Although most of it is on the front of my shirt and the table."

After pouring herself a cup, she sat down across from me. She laughed a bit at the coffee splatter all around and on me.

"What's wrong with the coffee at Cindy's?" I asked.

"There isn't any." She replied.

"Uh huh." I still didn't remove my eyes from the article.

"Hey, you got this week's crossword?"

"Yeah."

"Can I have it?"

"Sure. One second."

Juno didn't want one second. I should have remembered that the crosswords are something that she takes really seriously, and are not to be postponed. She slapped the paper out of my hands, and grabbed a pencil.

"Hey, I was reading that!" I said.

Juno looked over the article. "Who's Zoey Pierson? You got a crush on her?" She teased.

"Ha! Please!" I snorted. "No. She's facing off against Goliath National Bank on the fate of the Arcadian. She's attacking a friend of mine in the article."

Juno then realized who that friend was when she read it. "I get it. You befriend guys who want lame-ass nicknames? You befriending T-Dog?" She said mockingly.

"No. He's a loyal customer of mine at the bar. I think that he doesn't really deserve that kind of trash talking at him for following his dream."

"I'm kidding. You might be right about Ted." Said Juno. "This shit shouldn't really be said in the paper. All anyone's seeing it is in her eyes."

"Yeah. I know who's side I'm fighting for."

"Hey, have you got breakfast made yet?"

"No. Why?"

"Get ready to laugh. I got something good to sing with French toast and a waffle."

I rolled my eyes. Yet another one of Juno's quirky things. Although her singing voice is excellent.

The night after that, Ted and the others were in the bar, when he approached me.

"Hey, Ted. Listen, I don't believe the crap that bitch, Zoey said about you."

"Yeah. About that, things went even further."

"How?"

Ted then explained how Zoey caught him bad mouthing GNB, and recording it. I was at a loss for words. Ted understood how I felt.

"I get the Arcadian is important to her, but this is different. She crossed the line."

I couldn't help but then quote one of my favorite movies. "You crossed the line first, sir." I said in a fake British accent. "You squeezed them, you hammered them to the point of desperation. And in their desperation, they turned to someone they didn't fully understand."

Ted laughed at that. "Nice accent. Lily tried it once, but it got annoying after like, immediately."

"So I assume you're fighting back?"

"Not as hard as I thought I would have to. She told me she erased the tape."

I scoffed. "And you believe her?"

Ted looked surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Ted, I'm an Econ student. I study the guys who stab people in the back for money. I know Zoey's type, and I don't trust her. She's not gonna give up that easily. Don't bother trying to convince her to stop." I went back to the fake accent. "With respect, Master Mosby, perhaps this is a woman you don't fully understand, either. Some people can't be bought, bullied, or negotiated with. Some people, just want to watch the world burn."

Ted nodded. "Ok. If you don't trust her, then I'll 'tread carefully' if that's what you want."


	11. Chapter 11: Origins-Chapter 1:The Hunter

**A/N: As I looked through the reviews, (thank you to all who sent me the words saying you liked it, as I aim to please.) one said that they want to see more of Ollie's life. I didn't plan on releasing this for a while, but there's no time like the present. This'll be a a structure that will last for a while, with one chapter as flashback, and the next as a story in the present.**

****Chapter 11: The Hunter

I always find in these kinds of stories that there's one point where the reader is taken back a while to when things were set in motion. Like a quick pause in someone's life to bring the audience back to when this all started. This is that point in my story.

15 years ago...

My fingers gripped the string tightly, searing in pain as the blood got cut off from them. The buck made it's way into the clearing, no idea of who was watching it. I had to be careful though: if I stepped on a twig, I'd have to start all over again with tracking it. I felt a sense of relief, glad to let go of the string when I saw my chance. As I let go, the arrow flew through the air, landing into the buck's temple. The buck fell to the ground, limp.

"Did you hit it?"

I smiled. "We're having venison with the turkey, Dad!"

A man with short dark hair, and a flannel jacket stepped out from behind the trees. He walked over, and patted me on the back.

"I'm proud of you, son. Any hunter would be of that kill."

He slung his rifle over his shoulder and walked over to the deer's carcass. I pulled my hood down and walked over.

"You did good, Oliver." He said.

"*Pfft!* C'mon, Dad. You gotta admit that a shot like that is more that 'doing good'"

He grinned. "You're absolutely right, champ. Let's get this taken to the truck so we can get it home."

Soon my Dad had the deer slung over his shoulder, us headed back to the truck. It was December 22nd 1995, a few days before Christmas. We had been hunting for the meat that would serve as a side in our Christmas feast. I had been tracking that buck for a while, knowing this was my kill.

My Dad and I had been hunting together for the past 2 years. He wanted to teach me how to use a rifle, but eventually learned that, like my favorite comic book character, Green Arrow, I too was a born archer. He said I liked Green Arrow for having the same name. I think he was right.

"You know, Oliver, this won't be something that you'll be doing for the rest of your life."

"I won't?" I asked.

"No, sir. I see you doing great things. You'll do what your grandfather failed to do. You'll make our family proud as you rise to become a successful investor on Wall Street. My own son, making millions on pure luck."

"Luck seems like the right way to go, Dad." I said.

After strapping the deer to the truck's, and the several hour long drive from the hunting grounds, we were soon home. We pulled up into the driveway of our 3-Story house with a clear view of the water. It was a clear night that had gotten dark as we headed home.

A woman with light brown hair, tied up in a bun, with an apron on stood at the doorway. She looked very angry, waving a spatula at us.

"You said it would just be there and back! 7 hours you were gone! Half of the family is inside, and they have been waiting for you!"

"So sorry, Jane. Oliver was just able to take his first buck! Right through it's head." My father demonstrated by pointing a finger through his own head.

Mom looked at me, impressed, but then reverted back to her anger. "Be that as it may, Bill wanted to see your trophies, Shawn."

"Oh! Better get to it, then." He rushed inside to show off the stuffed heads.

"Dear, your younger cousin, Lucy, is here. She's been waiting."

I groaned. "Aw, Mom! Do I have to? She always calls me 'Ollie'! It's a stupid name!"

My mom crossed her arms. "Now, Oliver. You know that she's only 6. You gotta show her some respect. Her name for you means how much she loves you." She pointed to the door, guiding me inside. I went up the stairs, into the living room.

"Hey hey! There he is!" Said a large man. He jumped from his chair, and gripped me in a bear hug.

"Uncle Alex." I said in a muffled voice. "You're smothering me."

"Oh! Sorry there!" He backed away. That was my dad's brother, Alexander Blake. He was a true hunter, with his large build, his hunter's hat, and his big brown beard.

He and my dad had grew up hunting together as partners. It was a backup plan that my grandfather, Michael, had fallen into as a small family business. He tried to make it in stock trading, but a month into the thousands that he was making in his 20s, Black Tuesday hit. He lost everything, and resorted to hunting and selling his kills. He became a good shot with guns, and became a respected Lieutenant in WWII. My father was born right before the war began. After returning home, he raised my father and uncle to become hunters. My father liked that life as a hunter, but he wanted to see me do more than hunt. He saw me as a potential Wall Street hound.

My uncle stepped away, and I saw my cousin sitting down on the ground. 6 years old, Lucy ran up and was soon hugging me.

"Ollie! You're back!"

I groaned. I hated that name. She couldn't pronounce Oliver when she could first talk, so Ollie it was. Now she only called me that.

"Did you see any bunnies?" She asked.

I did my best to fake a smile, and sat down on the couch with her on my knee.

"As a matter of fact, I did, Lucy. They jumped around a lot."

"Did you pet any of them?"

I didn't have the heart to tell her that I had shot 3 that would be part of the dinners we'd be eating for the nights leading up to the Christmas dinner. Dad would be taking them out to the shed any time, now.

"No, they were too fast for me." I said.

Lucy pouted. She loved the cute animals you'd find in the wild like any other girl her age. I think she'd give just about anything for a cute pet. I wish I could see animals that way. I was raised as a hunter to recognize that most animals you'd find in the woods are targets, and what you need to survive.

"You know, Lucy, Auntie Jane might have some of those gingerbread cookies you like!" Said Uncle Alex.

"Yay!" She cheered, running into the kitchen.

"So how was hunting?" He asked.

"I got my first buck." I said.

"No kidding? 13 years old, and already killing bucks! With a freaking bow and arrow, no doubt."

"I know. Guess low tech is just as deadly."

"Dinner, everyone!" My mom called.

We were gathering in the kitchen, my mom's brother, Bill, heading up the stairs with my Dad, from his trophy room. I was surrounded by my family, my grandfather telling my older cousins about something in WWII to help them with their history test, my dad bragging to Bill about the buck I had killed, and Lucy reaching for a cookie while my mom tried to keep her from spoiling her dinner. I could tell that this Christmas would be a great one to remember. And as a hunter, I helped it happen.


	12. Chapter 12: Face Off

Chapter 12: Face Off

When I was in high school back in Port Angeles, I had a debate to make in class. My teacher, Mr. Marco, had thought of a subject that was one of my favorite things: Star Wars. He wanted the two halves of the class to discuss which side had better people on it: the Jedi, or the Sith. I was on the Dark side, but my opponent, Mack, tricked me into saying the Jedi were better, right in the middle of the debates. From then on, whenever I was stuck in fights, I would always stay vigilant to what I said, and I never trusted anyone on the other side to do the actions associated with morality. That's why I never trusted the people that wanted to save the Arcadian to do the moral actions, especially Zoey Pierson. I only expected them to save that crappy building by any means necessary.

One night, I was refilling the taps under the bar, when a customer leaned over the bar, asking for 2 beers.

"Got it." I replied. As soon as the tap was filled up, I poured two pints. Then I looked up at who ordered them, and I became a lot less friendly.

"Well, well." I sneered. "Zoey Pierson. You got some nerve showing up here."

"Do I know you?" She asked.

"No. But I know you. You ruined me and my best friend's crossword day. And I have a message for you: scrap the protesting for the Arcadian. It's lived it's life far too long."

Zoey scowled at me. "So you're supporting GNB? You a fat cat corporate asshole?"

"Do I look like I am?! I wear a black T-Shirt to work! I'm supporting Ted Mosby. He's my friend, and I'm one supporter that doesn't apply to your 'anti-fat cat' protesting: I work in a bar instead of an office."

"And yet you support the evil Fortune 500 company trying to destroy a priceless monument to-"

"Whoa, ho, ho! Lemme stop you right there, princess. The Empire State Building is a priceless monument. The Statue of Liberty is a priceless monument. The Arcadian is a run down, boarded-up former hotel, infested with rats and hobos. I think I know what it really is, and the word that comes to mind is not 'monument'"

Zoey grabbed the pints from the counter. "This is not over, jackass."

"You're on." I replied. Zoey stalked over to the booth, where Ted was sitting.

Zoey was right. This wasn't over; it was only just beginning.

"Wow." Said Juno, the next day. I had just summarized what had happened with me and Zoey. "What a bitch!"

"What's with you?" I replied, a bit surprised.

"What do you mean?"

"You're all of the sudden siding with me in this fight. I thought you didn't give a shit."

"Relax, Ollie. We're gonna take down Zoey Pierson in the most evil way possible." She gave me a certain grin I was regretting to see again.

Whenever Juno started acting like this, all hell would break loose. She once freaked out on me because I accidentally broke one of the strings on her bass. I then regretted it immediately when she tied me up, and made me watch while she ripped up a few of my older Green Arrow comics.

"Juno, listen. This is a bad idea for you to get involved. You don't know what kind of collateral damage you could cause if you got involved." Juno scowled while I continued. "When you get a crazy idea like this, complete pandemonium ensues. How about you give me ideas, and I'll do them. At least if I do it they'll have a bit focus."

"Hey! I have plenty of foc-hey! A new Fender bass is coming out!" She had just seen an ad flash on her Facebook.

I put my face in my hands, groaning. "My point exactly."

"Listen, Ollie. You may be right in some sense. You said it yourself that GNB's new builders are only doing their jobs. This Pierson can't be allowed to stop it. I'll come up with some ideas to give her a taste of her medicine, and you 'give her the dose', if you catch my drift."

I sniggered. "This is why we're friends, J: We make a great team. I can't believe that we're actually helping evil corporate America fight the protestors." I said in a false tone of seriousness.


	13. Chapter 13: Origins-Chapter 2:Road to NY

Chapter 13: Road to New york

March 1999

"Oliver, do you know what you're going to do?"

I jumped up. I had dozed off while the counsellor, Mr. Flint was helping me. He was helping me choose a school that I'd be going to after high school.

"Do you have any idea of what you want to do?" He asked again.

I sighed. "My dad has this plan set out for me. He wants me to go to Wall Street to collect the money that my grandfather lost in the Great Depression. He sees me as a great investor in the stock market."

Mr. Flint leaned back in his chair. "And what do you think?" He asked.

I thought for a second. "I'm not really sure. I've spent my life thinking that I'd be lucky enough to have a plan set out for me. But all I am is drifting aimlessly. I don't know what I am to do."

"Don't worry. Everyone does at one point in their life or another." He said, gesturing to the brochures. There were over a dozen scattered on his desk. "I'd like to see you here next week at the same time. We'll find something that you will enjoy."

I got up, said goodbye to Mr. Flint, and left his office.

Graduation was approaching fast, and I knew I had to choose something quick. Should I do what my dad had planned for me? To go to New York and become one of those fat cats? Hell, I never really liked suits.

My phone rang. It was the stupid Nokia ringtone that was on everyone's phones these days. People asked me that if I hated it, why I didn't bother to change it. I tried to, but all the other ones were even more annoying.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Oliver, you there?"

"Oh, hey, Dad! Yeah, I'm at the school. Why?"

"Stay there. I'm picking you up." He said.

"Why?"

"We're going to the hospital. We're seeing your cousin, Lucy."

"What? Why?"

"No more questions. We can discuss this at the hospital."

I hung up. Why was Lucy in the hospital?

My dad was soon pulling up to the school. I got into the truck, and we drove off.

"What's this about?" I asked.

My dad struggled with his speaking. "Lucy's, um, been having some trouble."

I didn't like how Dad was talking like he was saying she was dead.

"She's been having a lot of headaches recently. Some too hard that she's not feeling fit to get out of bed in the morning."

"So? What does that all mean? People get headaches all the time."

"This is different. She's been fainting a few times, forgetting names, all kinds of things. Alex has gotten worried. He's had her taken to the hospital."

I didn't like the sound of this. I stayed silent along with my dad as we headed off to the hospital.

Soon I was in the waiting room in the pediatric wing. A doctor with a clip board came up to me and my Dad.

"Are you Shawn and Oliver Blake?" She asked.

"Yes." My Dad replied. "We're here to see my niece, Lucy."

"She actually asked that she see him first." She gestured to me.

"Me?" I asked.

The doctor led me into Lucy's room. I saw her lying down on her bed, watching one of her favorite Disney movies on the hospital tv.

"Hey, cuz." I said.

She looked up and smiled. "Ollie! You're here!"

I sighed. Some things never changed. I sat down on the bed beside her.

"So what's going on, Lucy?" I asked, seriously.

Lucy sighed. "The doctor is saying a lot of big words that I have trouble understanding. I think my Dad knows what's going on."

I gave her a hug. "Whatever it is, I'll be here for you."

I sat down, watching the movie with Lucy. I can't really remember anything that happened in it, because I only focused on her and what was going on with her. After almost a half hour, Uncle Alex came in.

"Hey, Oliver. Can I see you for a second?"

I headed out of the room to talk with him.

"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on with her?" I asked.

Uncle Alex looked grim. "I've been worried about her for a long time now. She hasn't been feeling well for a while, now. I don't know what will happen."

"Enough with this cryptic crap, Alex. I want to know what has happened."

Uncle Alex breathed. "The doctors have found a tumor. It's cancerous, and could have spread to something important. I don't know how bad, though."

"Holy shit." I muttered.

"Language." He replied.

"Sorry. How long has she been here?"

"We took her to the doctor about 2 weeks ago. She's been here for about a week. We just didn't want to tell the rest of the family until we knew what was going on."

"She wanted to see me first?" I asked.

"She adores you, Oliver. She may be stuck here for God knows how long. All you need to be is there for your cousin. Can you handle that?"

I nodded.

"Good. I hope you'll be here for her again?"

I nodded again. It was a lot to take in, all the responsibility. My little cousin had cancer, and I would have to do my best to make sure she was okay.

"C'mon, Ollie. You gotta at least try to play!" Said Lucy.

"Sorry." I said. I had been staring out the window of her hospital room.

"Here." I set down a card on the pile.

Lucy laughed. "Have you ever played Crazy 8s?" She said.

"No, not really." I replied. "I told you I'm a hunter. Not really someone to sit around at home."

Lucy smiled. "That's a spade you out down. You're supposed to put down either a club or a 5 in order for that to be a real move."

I picked up the spade I put down, and set a club down.

"There you go." She said.

Despite being only 10, Lucy was quite mature for her age. Even though her father never took her hunting, she knew a lot of what went on on the trips that I took with my dad and uncle. These past four years had let her understand that bunnies aren't just cute. They're good protein

"So Ollie, you given any thought on the future?"

I looked up. I wasn't expecting someone like Lucy to ask me that. Anyone in my class or older, yes, but not her.

"Not really sure, cuz. I'm thinking about going into Economics."

"Even though you don't want to?" She asked.

"Do you even know what Economics is?" I said, confused that I was having this conversation with a 10-year-old.

"No. And I don't have to. I can tell that that's not what you want to do."

I shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know. I've been much more preoccupied with you than my own future."

So far in the past 2 weeks of knowing Lucy was at the hospital, I had been there 12 times, once per day. I had missed seeing her those 2 other times because of my job working at the family's hunting store.

"Why are you so worried? I'm gonna be fine." Her optimism really upset me. It's not that I didn't like seeing her happy. I just didn't feel like this should be a situation with a bright side.

"Ollie, I honestly can tell something about you: You don't want to be someone that Uncle Shawn is making you become. You should do what you like to do."

I sighed. "Maybe. But I don't know what the hell that is."

It had been several months since that day. Lucy had been well enough to have her 11th birthday, and I, my 18th in those months. A few weeks after my birthday, I had graduated with an economics scholarship to Columbia University in New York City.

My family threw a big going away party at our house, but Lucy was unable to visit. Aunt Terri, Lucy's mom, did though.

"She would give almost anything to be here, Oliver." She said. "She thinks the world of you."

"I know." I murmured. "She's always been my favorite cousin."

"Hey, Oliver!" My dad had suddenly walked up to me. "C'mere! I got something to show you."

I got up from my seat, following Dad through the house. Soon he was standing at one of the doors I couldn't believe we were at.

The house we lived in my dad had built with his friends. He had purposely put in a trophy room in the house, and I was never allowed in there. This meant something big to me to be able to go into his "Fortress of Solitude" as some might say. He unlocked the door, and we stepped inside. I was blown away at the sight.

I knew my dad had made many kills, but I never knew that he was so nostalgic. There were over thirty trophies littering the walls of the room. I saw a cougar, a few bucks, hell, even a grizzly's head. But he wasn't paying attention to them. He pointed at one in the middle of them all.

"Take a look, sport." He said, proudly.

I looked over, and saw a buck's head. It had just any normal set of antlers, and it was just as big. Why was Dad showing this to me?

Then he pointed at the head again, and I looked closer. I saw a hole right in the deer's temple. Clearly someone had tried to stitch it up while stuffing it, but then gave up: only half of the wound was sewn shut.

"Remember that, Oliver? That was the venison we had for Christmas 4 years ago. You made me proud that day. And I know you'll make me proud in New York. You go out there, and you make the name 'Blake' appear as a great Wall Street investor."

I felt horrible. Lucy was right: I didn't want to be an investor in the market. But I didn't see any other option coming around the corner. Unless there was some stroke of luck to help me find what I should be doing with my life, I'd do what my dad wanted me to do.

"Thanks, Dad. When I get to New York, I'll make you proud."


	14. Chapter 14: Tag! You're It!

Chapter 14: Tag! You're It!

Juno isn't necessarily crazy. She just can't resist herself when she wants to get back at people. But this time, I was on her side when she wanted to get back at Zoey Pierson. We would ensure that she would know what it meant to cross us.

A night off meant a video game marathon. But almost the second I turned on my Xbox, I got a knock at the door.

"Coming." I called. I opened the door, and was soon laughing.

Juno was dressed head to toe in black, with a black hoodie and it's hood pulled up. She also was holding a bag out for me.

"Let's go."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"We're gonna do our part to stop Pierson. Hood up!"

"Uh, Juno, when I said we're taking Pierson down, I meant something a little less...well, crazy."

"This is not crazy. People tag stuff all the time in New York."

"I'm sorry? You're tagging something?"

"Correction. WE are tagging the Arcadian." She gave me an evil grin.

"Not happening." I replied simply.

"Aw, c'mon!" She whined.

"Juno, this is my night off." I walked back into the apartment, sitting on my couch. "I'm not gonna waste it spraying up the Arcadian with you."

Juno laughed. "Not even after you see what Zoey's said about you to me?"

"Wait, you've talked to her? How? Why?"

"I believe in spying on the enemy. Zoey thinks I'm just a regular protestor to save the Arcadian. She keeps talking about some 'dickhead bartender' at a place she's been going to recently. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that's you."

I thought back to it. Ever since my face off with Zoey, she'd been giving me dirty looks from the booth. She should be thankful I haven't picked up a bow in months.

"In any case, I heard she's been trying to get the head of the bar to fire you." Said Juno.

"J, c'mon. For what possible reason would Carl fire me?"

"You'd be surprised what I heard from Zoey. She's got some sort of crazy influence over other people. She could do a lot worse than get you fired."

I grabbed the bag from her. "Let's take that bitch down."

We didn't leave for the Arcadian until close to midnight. There were nightly protestors camping out around the building to stop GNB. As soon as we were almost positive there were no protestors around, we headed out. We were soon walking down an alley beside the building.. Finally I would be getting back at Zoey for bad mouthing me. I had always heard the saying "Revenge solves nothing", but I didn't see this as revenge. I saw this as showing Zoey what kind of people she was dealing with.

"Shit! Get down!" Juno whispered.

I jumped behind a dumpster while Juno kept walking.

"Zoey! How's it going?" I heard.

Dammit. Zoey was here. At least Juno was there to warn me.

"Hey, Juno. Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. I got a tip off that there are a bunch of taggers coming here sent by GNB."

"Damn. I should stay here to stop them."

"Zoey, you're using all your energy to save this place. Take a night off."

"You might be right. Have you heard about what's happened with the bar I'm hanging out at?"

"No. What's going on?"

"This jackass, Oliver, is saying rude things to me about the Arcadian. I'm only doing my job."

I almost screamed in fury at her. She's not doing her job, unless if it's sabotaging others' jobs. But I kept silent to maintain my cover.

"Yeah. I can tell this place means a lot to you." Said Juno. "But you need to get some rest. I'll wait out for the taggers."

"Thanks, Juno. You're a great ally in this fight. I can tell we're gonna win and save this place."

After a few minutes of silence, Juno came to my hiding spot.

"She's gone. Let's go."

We walked up to the Arcadian, spray cans in hand. I pulled my green hood up, and we headed into the lobby.

I had never been in the Arcadian; I had only seen it from the street. But when I walked into it, it brought up the dreaded thought of the number of homeless people that had stayed in here.

"I can't believe Zoey wants to save this shithole." I said.

"I heard something about it being 'nostalgic'. I don't see how this would be special." Agreed Juno.

"So where do we start?" I asked.

"I guess we start on the walls. Let's do this, Blake."

I took a deep breath, and pulled my sweater over my mouth, shaking the clicking can. Juno and I went to town on the walls, writing as much "Anti-Arcadian" graffiti as we could. I remembered a good line from the end of Ferris Bueller that I then sprayed all over the area that used to have the front desk:"Pierson Eats It!"

"Nice!" Said Juno. "I got this!" She pointed at a large X she had tagged on the ground. Beside it said "Wrecking ball goes here".

"We're so doing this another night, too." I said. We kept up the tagging on walls and floors throughout the Arcadian.

"Zoey's gonna be so pissed if she sees this!" I said.

"Payback's a bitch."

We left the Arcadian after an hour of tagging. Juno agreed we'd come back another time to keep it up. But we'd have to be careful. No doubt if Zoey found this she'd think that this could have been prevented if she was there.

Juno came over a few days later.

"Our tagging worked. Zoey's pissed, and now hates us, without even knowing who the taggers are."

I grinned. "But we gotta be careful. If we aren't, we could get caught."

The only option from now on would be to keep tagging while laying low. But part of me felt something: regret. Zoey's anger inducing protesting had made me sink to her level. But then again, did that make me any better than the corporate assholes?


	15. Chapter 15: Origins:-First time in NY

Chapter 15: First Time In New York

October 1999

New York was a lot different from what I was expecting. It was much more noisy then they were selling it, rent was always high, and there were a lot of rude students in my classes.

One day I was leaving class when my friend, Duncan, walked up to me.

"Oliver! Hey!" We high-fived. "How's it going?"

"Doing okay. What's going on with you?"

"There's a big party going on at one of the frat houses tonight. Getting trashed and whatnot. You going?"

"Not really sure. I've got a Econ test coming up. Gotta study"

"C'mon, bro. Two single guys at a frat party with a bunch of drunk chicks most likely gonna be there? It's gonna be legendary!"

I laughed. "Does anyone use the word legendary anymore?"

That night I abandoned studying to go to the party with Duncan. It was just as insane as I expected. The bass on the music was so loud, it felt like there was an earthquake going on. I think I saw someone jump off the house's balcony into a pool.

"Shit. I can't believe how wasted people get at these parties."

"Hey, as long as the professors don't crash this party, then drinking isn't gonna hurt anyone."

We finally found a place to sit down among the chaos. Duncan managed to snag us a few beers and we cracked them open.

"I swear, this town is gonna fuck me up if I end up on Wall Street." I said.

"Oh, really?" Said Duncan. "If you hate it so much, then why are you an Econ student?"

"Not sure. Just using it as a temporary path until I find something that I'm good at."

I then saw another bottle of beer on the table. A different brand. I grabbed it, and opened that.

"What're you doing, brother?" He asked.

"Wondering what these two would taste like together." And with that, I took both beers in my hands, and chugged them back.

I only remember certain fuzzy memories at that party that night after the drinks. Things that make me always say the phase "what happens in Vegas... You know" whenever someone asks me about that night. What I do remember the most clear is waking up with my head resting on a metal keg barrel like a pillow.

"Hey! There's the champ." Said a voice. "Rise and shine, freshman."

I got up with a searing pain in my head, my eyes trying to adjust to the bright light.

"What's going on?" I groaned.

"Hah! You never passed out before, have you? Well this, my friend, is what we bartenders call a 'hangover'"

I tried to retort something to him, but the vertigo feeling from trying to stand up too fast caused me to fall over again. The fast hit back on the keg made a loud clanging sound that made me feel like I was getting a nail shoved into my eye.

"Whoa! Easy there, buddy." Said the voice. I felt him sit me up straight, and shove something in my hands.

"What is this?" I moaned.

"Coffee. Never heard of it?"

I strained to see him, but the light made him look like nothing more than a silhouette.

"I've heard of it. I just can't see well. I guess this really is my first hangover."

"Well, you know what they say: you never forget your first."

My eyes began to adjust to the light, and I strained to see the person. All I could see was his hair was cut so short, he was almost bald as a cue ball.

"So what's your name, kid?"

"Oliver." I replied. "Oliver Blake."

I felt the stranger's hand thrust into mine, shaking it. "Nice to meet you, Oliver. I'm Carl. Carl Maclaren."

I was soon at the breakfast bar in the house, talking with Carl. He was a few years older than me, and I could tell this guy was a real bartender. The way how he handled the situation with me showed me that he knew what he was doing. I heard mention of a pub he was running somewhere in New York, but that wasn't why he was interested in talking with me.

"I was at the party last night. Owed a favor to a friend to help with the drinks. I saw you with those beers, man. How you drank both of them together cause you clearly didn't give a damn. And I saw you mix a few drinks together after that. You clearly got some kind of natural talent, man."

"Why are you talking to me, dude?" I asked, rubbing my head.

"I know a guy. He's been looking for people to teach bartending to for a while. He'd take you in no doubt. Especially if I, one of his students, recommended him to teach you."

"Oh yeah?" I said. "What makes you think I want to be a goddamn barkeep?"

"I don't go to this school, but I know a few things. Sooner or later, students here need to find jobs if they want to stay. You don't find a job, then you're screwed. Also, another thing about this guy: some of his students have almost instantly found work in bars after they left his teachings. You take a year or two under his wing, and you'll be guaranteed a job once you're of age."

"Whatever. I'll see if I'll show up."

"If you do, you'll need these." Carl handed me two things: a folded piece of paper, and a keychain. The keychain was a silver circle with what looked like a raindrop engraved on it. It was kinda like a big coin.

"Just consider this offer, Oliver. You might like it."


	16. Chapter 16: Meeting the Others

Chapter 16: Meeting the Others

-set during "False Positive"-

I've thought a lot sometimes about where my life is headed. I've wanted to own a bar, but I ended up working at one instead, as a regular bartender. I've wanted to consider settling down, but that's never happened. Meanwhile two of my regulars did that years before I got to this bar: Marshall and Lily.

That night Ted walked up to the bar.

"Hey Ollie, can I get 3 beers?"

"You sure can, Ted. But why three?" I looked over to the booth, where Robin, Marshall and Lily were sitting. "Who's sitting out?"

"Lily." Ted replied. Then got up real close to me. "She's pregnant."

"No way! Dude! Lemme help you carry!" I grabbed the beers, and carried them over to the booth.

"Heard your guys' big news! Congrats!" I said, smiling.

Marshall and Lily looked at me a little awkwardly, until Ted spoke up.

"Guys, this is Ollie. He's been a bartender here for a few months already, and I've met him before on another occasion, so he's a friend."

Marshall, Lily, and Robin all nodded at me, and I beamed.

"If you guys need anything, don't hesitate." I walked back to the bar.

Not long after, Barney walked in, up to the booth, and then called out

"BARNEY'S FAVORITE THIIIINGS!"

No one reacted, until Barney started bringing guys into the bar, producing random gifts. The next hour got interesting, with Barney giving away things to people in the bar. I ended up with a PS3, games for it, and an iPhone.

"Last but not least, a fleet of limos is waiting outside, to take us to..." Barney paused dramatically. "A STRIP CLUB!" The bar went into an uproar, with several of the guys in the bar already making their way to the exit. My best guess is they were cheering at anything that Barney said because a lot of them were really wasted.

"Yo, Ollie! You coming?!" Called Barney, as he ran past the bar.

"Yeah, I'll be there. I'll just have to lock up!"

After doing so, I ran up the front steps to the street. Barney wasn't lying when he said fleet; I saw at least 20 of them lined up the block.

"Yo! Ollie! Get in!" Barney was standing in one of the limo's roof window, waving to me. I clambered into the limo, and it drove off.

I looked around, seeing Ted and the others looking at me. Barney sat down across from me.

"Sorry, what is your name? Ollie?" Said Robin.

"Yeah. It's short for Oliver."

"Aha! I see." She replied.

It was an awkward silence for a few minutes before Ted spoke up.

"Ollie. I saw you talking to Zoey a few weeks ago. You getting to know her?"

"I know her already, Ted. She's trying to sabotage GNB's plans. I don't need anything else."

Marshall inhaled through his teeth uncomfortably.

"What?" I asked.

"Well, Ollie, she's kind of our friend now, and we've been inviting her to the bar a lot lately." He said.

I didn't reply. The ridiculousness of it all was too insane.

"You can't really say much about it, Ollie." Said Lily. "We're starting to like her. And some of us only just met you."

I sighed. "Whatever. New topic: what's your thoughts on the baby? Are you hoping for a boy, or a girl?"

Lily was caught by that question. "We're not really sure. I was thinking a girl."

Marshall laughed. "I'm thinking a boy."

"You know one of my high school teachers was pregnant." I interjected. They all looked at me. "She, ah, said it was her first. I asked her what she wanted, and she said she didn't care. Boy or girl would have meant the world to her. I think that should be the solution."

"Not really up to you, now, is it? I mean, we barely know you." Said Robin.

"Easy, Robin." Said Ted. "He handles our drinks. Who knows what he might slip in them if you keep running your mouth?" He grinned at me.

"Thanks, Ted. But Robin does have a point: you guys don't know me until now. Easily remedied though. I'm from Port Angeles in Washington state."

"No kidding?" Said Robin. "I'm from Vancouver! Canada, though. Not Washington."

"Oh! Beautiful city!" I exclaimed.

"You lived in the Northwest? Did you ever see Sasquatch?" Said Marshall.

I smiled. "You know, several times I think, but I remember a Halloween prank I pulled on random hikers involving me in a Sasquatch costume."

"Wow, Ollie. That is evil." Said Barney, raising his hand for a high five. I took it.

"So what college?" Asked Lily.

"Hah! Funny story: I was in Ted's wrong lecture hall!"

All 4 of them looked at me, then back to Ted.

Ted shrugged. "It's true. He said he was in Econ 305 when I showed up. But we met 2 and a half years ago on St. Patrick's Day. That night at the club."

"So how do you enjoy working at the bar?" Asked Marshall.

"Oh, it's awesome. Maclaren's has the best people around. There's no other bar I'd rather tend to."

"Guys, I think we found the best bartender ever!" Exclaimed Ted.

The limo stopped a few minutes later, and we headed in. But I soon bailed after the first 10 minutes, as stuff was starting to happen in there. It just went to prove to me that Barney wasn't as awesome as he sold himself to be, and yet just as awesome in other ways. He and Ted were accepting to me, an almost complete stranger.


	17. Chapter 17: Origins- Finding Yoda

Chapter 17: Origins-Finding Yoda

**A/N: When a chapter is labeled "origins" this means that it shows you a defining part in Oliver's life as he becomes the character that we first saw when the story began. It's as simple as that. Just so everyone understands.**

October 1999

A week later, I was walking up to the place. The paper was a list of instructions on what to do at the address, which was at the top of the list. It was a bowling alley on 87th. All I knew was the address, so this was confusing for me. Some great teacher of bartending, working here? I guess so. Time to find the Yoda from here.

I walked in with the list of instructions that Carl gave me. Half of what they were looked like total bullshit phrases. But I walked down the stairs into the bowling alley. It looked like any other bowling alley, nothing special about it. But as I realized soon enough, a lot of what I have seen is not as it appears.

I walked up to the bowling counter. A lady sat at the counter. After seeing her, I realized that this should have been my first clue that the whole place was out of whack. She was a spry lady, with glasses that made her eyes look as big as tennis balls. She scared me a bit, and some of my friends laughed at me when I said that she did, but if they saw her, they would take it back.

"What do you want, boy?" She snarled.

I jumped. "Um," I looked at the list. "I'm here to play bowling?" I was confused that I was reading it right. I was here to learn how to serve drinks, not to bowl.

"Good." She said. She took a long drag on a cigarette, and started asking for my info.

"Name?"

"Oliver Blake."

"Where do you want to bowl, dearie?"

I looked at the list again. "I'd like to bowl," I paused. I looked closer at the list, trying to make sure I was still reading it right. "With Mr. Miyagi?" I said, puzzled.

The lady at once, looked at me much nicer. "He's in his office, dear." She said, sweetly. "Just make sure to knock."

She pointed me to a door behind her. I headed past the front counter, and walked in. I stood at the top of another set of stairs. These ones were under much dimmer lighting than I was used to; I tripped twice on my way down, lucky enough not to fall.

Finally, I got to the door. A red 'Exit' sign glowed faintly above the door. I opened it, and creeped in.

It looked like an abandoned bar. None of the lights were on, and the only light that came into the bar came from the street level windows, close to the ceiling of the room. All the stools at the bar except for one were placed upside down on the counter. The one exception stood at the far end on the floor. As well as the stools at the bar, all the other chairs around the whole bar were set upside down on the tables.

"Where the hell is this teacher?" I muttered. "I'm here for no apparent reason except that someone wanted to drag me into a Nightmare on Elm Street. I'm just waiting for Freddy to slash my throat."

Then I thought, to hell with this, no one is here, I'm here to learn bartending, I might as well have a drink. I pushed up, over the bar, and behind picking up a random bottle from the shelf. It was almost completely full, so I started pouring a glass.

*whizz! clang!* "You forgot to knock, Yank!"

I looked up, and nearly screamed. A nice, shiny cleaver was sticking out of the wall beside me, inches away from hitting me in the nose and taking it off. Someone had thrown it at me.

"I'm gon' need to see some ID with 'at, mate. And even so, I woun' let you 'ave a snort of 'at."

I looked over to see a man sitting at one of the seats at the table. He had spiky brown hair and a five o'clock shadow. How he had gotten in here without making any noise was beyond me. What my biggest question, for some reason, was why a British guy like that would be named after the old guy from The Karate Kid.

"Mr. Miyagi?" I asked.

"'Oo's asking?" He said.

"Me, sir. My name is Oliver Blake. I've been sent here to be taught by you."

He laughed. "You? Why in God's name would I teach someone like you? You almost stole my booze!"

Smug bastard. I would show him. I felt the keychain in my pocket.

"I mean, 'ow you found this place is beyond me. I 'ope Betsy dinnit let you in, or I'm firing 'er."

"I didn't find it." I replied. I pulled out the keychain and held it up. "I was sent here to you."

His smile disappeared in that instant. He stood up and snatched the keychain out of my hand.

"'Ow'd you come by this, Yank? You steal it from one of my students?"

"No. I was given it by someone. He told me to meet you."

"Be more specific, kid. I need to be 'earing more than just 'someone'. Gimme a name."

"Carl Maclaren." I replied.

He laughed. "Blimey. Well I'll be damned if 'e sent you. Carl wos one of my best students. 'e clearly saw something in you. So why are you 'ere?"

"I told you. I want to be a bartender."

"Really? Are you even old enough?"

"I turned 18 four months ago."

"Hah! And you were still gonna steal my 30-year-old Glen Mckenna! You clearly 'ave some stones. I could have sliced off your nose when I threw 'at." He pointed at the cleaver, still stuck in the wall.

"Well, I can't allow you a job yet, but wot I can promise is 2 years of training wid me. You allow me to take you under my wing, and I'll make you a great barkeep."

I could hardly understand how I had gotten to this, but I kept my mouth shut.

"So, you'll be under my guidance each weekend night for the next 2 and a half years. I expect you are following this, Blake?"

"Yes, sir. Although I want to ask, are you actually called Mr. Miyagi?"

"No." He said, a bit sadly. "I am a fan of the movie, but my real name is David McCoy."

"And you are legitimately licensed?"

"Yes. Wot I run 'ere is approved by the American Bartending Association. You'll be fully licensed by the end of this. So are you in, Blake?"

I thought for a minute. "I'm in. If you say that there's something about me that's special, then I won't waste it."

David turned out to be a lot harder than I ever imagined. Every weekend night I spent training in the bar instead of going to the keg parties that all the other Columbia students were at. There was one night where he made me take a shaker, and never let me stop shaking until an hour had passed.

"C'mon, Oliver! You got this!" He yelled over and over.

His nickname was misleading as it got. Mr. Miyagi was all about "wax on, wax off". David was much more direct at training. Another night, he had me wipe down tables as fast as I could. He made things harder by wiping the clean tables that I just finished with muddy rags, and then demanding I wipe them up.

For 3 long months, I trained harder than I ever felt. It wasn't like any gym I had ever heard of, but I could tell that David could be a real good personal trainer if he wasn't a psychotic bartending instructor. It made it seem more hard because of all the drinks I was learning to make, he didn't let me have a drop of, which I understood completely. It seemed like the pit I had gotten myself into would be the death of me. That would be rich: on my gravestone it would read "Oliver Blake: death by shaker".

I did have fun one night when David taught me something new. He pulled out over a dozen beers, and gave me different methods on how to open them. The one I had fun with was the "table edge" method. All night long I heard *clink, clink, clink* as bottle caps fell to the floor.

There was another night where David had me learning drink mixes.

"'Ave you thought about your career as a bartender, Oliver?" He said as I shook up a gin and tonic.

"Not really. I'm not sure what I would do if I got a license."

"I see great potential in you. You'll go on to become a great bartender. I'll even be willing to say you could be a good bar owner as well."

"You think so? I never thought of that."

"Oliver, Carl himself started a pub in the Upper West Side. I myself have gone there for a good Glenn Mckenna once in a while. If Carl can manage a bar like that, I can only imagine what you could do."

"You only saying this so that I stay as your student?"

David took a beat, then made the "little bit" sign with his fingers.

"But you're right, David. For the first time in a while, I'm learning something that I enjoy. I'm gonna keep doing this. It's something that I enjoy."

"Good for you. Now make a Cuba Libre!"


	18. Chapter 18: Regrets

**A/N: To Chris- as a matter of fact, there is a part coming soon where Ollie meets Louis. And they will butt heads because of their differences. Only wait, and that chapter will come.**

Chapter 18: Regrets

-set during "Garbage Island"-

Ted asked me once what my last words with my dad were, after he got back to New York from Marshall's dad's funeral. He asked me this because the theme of Marvin's funeral was their last words with him. I regret entirely what my last words with my dad were. It doesn't matter if what I said was true or not. I just feel nothing but anger at myself for the things that I last said to him. That was almost 10 years ago.

That night in February, Carl called me and a few of the other staff members into the back room.

"Alright, gang. We got a little home movie to watch before we get back out there." He said when we were all gathered in the room.

Marshall stood beside Carl, silent. Poor guy. He didn't seem the same since his dad passed away.

"So guys, listen up. First off, Wendy isn't here tonight, so one of you needs to get her up to speed on what's happening now."

"What's this about, Carl?" Asked Austin, the busboy.

"Well, it took a lot of discussing with me, but Marshall here has gotten me thinking about this bar. We're starting a new green initiative program. We're going to look at recycling our empty cans and kegs when they're finished. So you'll all have new responsibilities on top of your first ones."

The others groaned, but I understood. I had recycled all the time back home, raised by my parents to do it. If that's what Carl believed we should do, then I was game for it.

Before going back out there, Marshall showed us a small clip of a documentary on this place called Garbage Island. Quite literally an island of garbage, twice the size of Texas. That meant a lot of cleaning up would have to be done to prevent it from getting bigger. Although I kept thinking that Marshall was going a little nuts if he was seriously thinking about doing this. This was probably a freak-out in the aftermath of his Dad's death. I understood that kind of freak-out more than anything, because I had one, too.

After the movie, I went up to Carl.

"Don't get me wrong, bro, but are we really doing this? I think it's just a bit of extra, unnecessary work."

"I know, Ollie. That's why this is only an idea. We'll see how this plays out for a while, and if things work out, then we'll make this a permanent thing. If not, then we'll have our own ways of getting this stuff taken care of without having our employees break their backs."

It wasn't until a few nights later when I saw Marshall again. Wendy walked past, scowling at him. I knew why: After I was the one who dropped the bombshell to her about the recycling, she injured herself taking the cans to the recycling center. My responsibilities included taking empty kegs either to the recycling center, or refilling them to be reused.

The cans piled up by the pound in bags that Wendy had to carry out onto the curb. She told me that it was harder than it seemed. I could tell she was right.

"Hey, Marshall." I said. He sat down.

"Hey, Ollie. Did you see the link I sent you?"

He had sent me the rest of the documentary of Garbage Island. We had only seen about 10 minutes of the whole thing that one night.

"Yeah. I for one think that Garbage Island is disgusting. I'm glad that Maclaren's is going green at your insistence. It's just like how I did it back home."

Marshall sighed. "Do you regret anything, Ollie?"

"What do you mean?"

"My last real conversation with my dad was him and I yelling up and down from the street to the window. I regret it not being anything personal with him. What about you? Do you regret anything?"

"Sure I do. When I was younger, I said...some things to my family. I could tell my Dad didn't want to see me for a long time after that. I regret saying those things to him, no matter if they may or may not be true."

Marshall looked down at the counter. "I miss my dad."

"Marshall, I got my own pain with death. My family was almost torn apart years ago after things happened. If anyone knows what you're going through, it's me. Death took people close to me, too. I just hope you can talk to me, or at least someone."

"I don't know, Ollie. I'm not one to socialize with strangers."

"You forget though: I'm no stranger. You're a loyal customer of mine, and I'm friends with Ted and Barney."

"Who in your family died?" He asked.

I shifted uncomfortably. I hated talking about it, because it disturbed me. Marshall understood as soon as he saw my face. He changed the subject.

"I just wish I was out there, saving the world, instead of working for the evil companies like GNB." He said.

"Hey, let's worry about helping GNB beat Zoey's protesting, then focus on stopping them."

"Hah. You really don't like her, don't you?."

"Marshall, I tagged the Arcadian just to piss her off. That say anything?"

"Hold on! That was you?!" He was on his feet.

Whoops. I should not have mentioned the tagging.

"Zoey's been complaining about the mystery taggers for months. All along it was you?! Why?!"

"Marshall, I trust you, despite us not knowing each other that well. So please keep this quiet from her."

Marshall groaned, but nodded hesitantly.

"It wasn't my idea. It was my best friend's idea. We wrote up anti-Arcadian propaganda with spray paint just to piss off Zoey. She's gonna resort to any means necessary to make sure that dump is protected. There was plenty of graffiti on the building even before my friend and I tagged it. And honestly, it wasn't that much."

"Wasn't that much?! Ollie, you just did it last week! And it was a lot! It covered the walls of one whole room."

That didn't sound right. I hadn't been to the Arcadian in months "No, we only tagged it once, for about an hour on one night a few months ago. And we spread out among the whole building. We didn't tag in only one room."

"Well someone is tagging the building in a manner similar to you. But you might be onto something in terms of trying to discourage Zoey to stop protesting. Just try something less, oh I don't know, crazy?"

"Will do. Here's to stopping Zoey." I said, realizing in that instant who tagged the Arcadian last week.

Marshall and I toasted, and he chugged back his beer. He then called over to Wendy.

"Hey, Wendy, can you take this out to the recycling?" He handed her his bottle.

Wendy responded by chucking it across the room, smashing it to bits. "This is bullshit!" She screamed. Everyone in the bar suddenly looked over at her in shock. "I've had to work overtime, getting the recycling finished because of you! You stupid bastard! Carl!"

Carl made his way into the bar area from the back, over to Wendy.

"Yeah, Wendy?"

"You know what?" She started pulling off her apron. "After having to endure all this shit about going green for the last week, I've had it! After I take these last two bags out onto the curb, I QUIT!" She shrieked.

I pushed up over the bar, and over to her. "Sorry to hear that, Wendy. I'll help you carry the bags."

Wendy calmed down a bit. "Thanks, Ollie. I could use the help."

Wendy and I started carrying the bags up the stairs. She was right in saying it was really hard: the bags weighed as much as a regular deer carcass.

"So you really going through with it?" I asked.

"Yeah, Ollie. Maclaren's isn't the place for me. I found a better job somewhere else. I've been considering leaving for a while now."

We dragged the bags up to the top step.

"Do me a favor, though, Ollie." She said.

"Anything."

"Look after this place for me. Carl may not know it, but I've seen it in your eyes. Even though you haven't worked here long, this place means a lot to you. You take good care of it."

I smiled. Wendy was one of the few who really knew how I felt about Maclaren's. In all the bad things that have happened in my life, Maclaren's is one thing that has stayed good, being my favorite place in the city. Even though I was only here for almost half a year, I still loved it. "You got it." I replied.

All of the sudden, one of the bags tore open, spilling bottles out onto the sidewalk. A man in a suit walked up from the street.

"Hi! Are you guys...?"

"Closed." She replied.

"I'll see you later, Wendy." I walked down the steps back into the bar.

I now regret not being there as long, when I heard that not long after quitting Maclaren's, Wendy ended up marrying that guy in the suit, whose name was Meeker. I can add that to the list of my regrets.

Later that night I took my phone out. I think that this night would be the one that I'd talk to him again. I punched in Dad's number. All I had to do was hit the call button. But I couldn't do it. What would I say? What would he say? I hadn't seen him in a decade. Why would I now? I couldn't face him yet. I hit the button, and cancelled the call.


	19. Chapter 19: Origins- Return to the Port

Chapter 19: Origins- Return to the Port

One night in late December, David gave me a night of resting.

"What? We're not gonna train tonight?"

"Nope!" He called from under the bar. "'Tis the season to be jolly, and I'm feeling quite generous tonight." He pulled out a bottle from under the bar with a few glasses. "Time for us to 'ave a drink. After all, that's wot bartenders do."

"What's that?" I asked, pointing at the bottle.

"This righ' 'ere is one of my favorite sodas I 'ad a lot when I wos a kid back in London. I still drink it a lot to this day."

"I thought we were really drinking."

David gave me a smug smile. "Nice try there, Blake. We're waiting another three years."

"Fair enough." I replied. "It was worth a try."

I sat down at the table with David as he poured out two glasses and handed one to me.

"So tell me 'bout you, Oliver. You got any family?"

I sighed. "Yeah. Two parents, 2 uncles, 2 aunts, several older cousins and a sick little cousin."

"Oh... Sorry to 'ear 'bout that."

"No, it's fine. I'm going home soon for Christmas. At least I'm hoping I'll be allowed to do so?"

"Absolutely. You got family, and I got family. We both need to be there for them. This'll be our last meeting until after New Year's Eve. I'll expect you 'ere the same time on the night of the 7th of January."

"Agreed. Merry Christmas, David."

"Merry Christmas, Oliver."

* * *

The next day, I woke up, and headed to JFK for the long flight to Seattle. I was hoping that Lucy would be there to visit. Before I left, I got her a Christmas gift: a plush bunny from some cartoon that she was really into that I had found from the letters she had sent me in New York. I hadn't seen her since I had left a few months ago. The most I had heard of her progress was a letter from my dad saying she was in chemotherapy, and she was taking it well. But her long brown hair was not on her head anymore.

My family had called last night, excited that I was coming back home. I heard talk of some big news going on. I hoped it wasn't that my mom was expecting, because my parents agreed they'd stop at me. But I still couldn't help but feel some worry about that.

The flight was long, and tiring. It wasn't until we passed over Idaho that I started to notice the familiar evergreen forests replace the flat farmlands.

Finally, I saw the Space Needle from above as the plane began it's descent. I found myself soon grabbing my bag from the luggage carousel, and headed out to "arrivals". A long line of people stood shoulder to shoulder holding signs with names. Normally, I would have ignored them, but one read "Oliver Blake". It was my mom.

"Mom!" I came up and hugged her. "What are you doing here?!" I asked. I took a quick glance. She didn't seem like she was carrying. But I always knew that looks can sometimes be deceiving.

"I didn't want you to be taking a cab home. Plus there's a surprise waiting home!" She said.

"Oh, god. Did you convert my room into a storage area?"

My mom only laughed. "No, Oliver. You'll just have to wait and see when you get home."

* * *

After leaving the airport in the car, she started asking questions.

"How is New York?"

"They don't lie when they say it's the city that never sleeps." I said. "The nights there are super noisy."

"Have you met any new friends?"

"Yeah, I've made a couple."

"Anybody special?" She said in that annoying voice.

"No, Mom. I haven't found a girl yet. Although I still have faith I will."

"That's the spirit. You don't worry, Oliver."

I didn't like how Mom talked like that. I would find that girl, but I felt her encouragement was annoying. I had faith I would do it at my own pace. I just hadn't found the right girl.

* * *

When I got home, I really was surprised as Mom was expecting: Lucy ran up from the door and gave me a big hug.

"Ollie!"

I was so surprised by her, the hug made me fall on the driveway.

"Jeez! Get this girl playing for the Hawks!" I exclaimed. "What're you doing here, Lucy?!"

"I'm in intermission."

I was confused. "You're what?"

"Intermission. It's something else that I can't really pronounce right, so I call it intermission."

I headed up to the living room with Mom and Lucy. Aunt Terri and Uncle Alex were up there waiting for me. Uncle Alex had shaved his beard shorter, so I was a bit thrown off, almost asking who he was when I walked in.

"Lucy's in intermission?" I asked, she down on the ground, clutching my leg tightly.

Uncle Alex laughed. "She means remission! The chemo worked!"

"Oh my god!" Next thing I knew I was giving Lucy a big bear hug.

"Uh, Ollie, you're suffocating me."

I laughed, letting her go. What she said was coming from someone who got escorted out of Disneyland for hugging Pluto too hard.

"So I guess you're well enough to spend Christmas with the family!"

"I know! And you're here too!"

"C'mon, Lucy. You're cousin's had a long flight. He's probably wanting to talk to the family." Said Mom.

Lucy went into the kitchen while I sat down.

"Looks like you're becoming a real hunter, Oliver!" Said Uncle Alex.

"What makes you say that?"

"That you're growing out a beard."

I laughed. It was true I had let it grow out a bit. But it was more a stubble than something Alex usually had.

"So how is it in the big city, Oliver?" Asked Aunt Terri.

"Oh, it's great. I'm learning a lot in Econ. Already played the stock game."

"Anything good?" Asked Uncle Alex.

"Started with 5 grand, ended with 10."

"That's my boy!"

I jumped. Dad had just walked into the living room.

"Oh, c'mon! My son leaves for 5 months and doesn't wanna give his old man a hug?"

I stood up and did that.

"Good thing you're here, Dad. I got an idea of a surprise for Lucy. I just thought of it."

Uncle Alex looked over in interest. "What're you thinking, Oliver?"

Dad sat down. "Yeah, son. You have some kind of plan?"

"Uncle Alex, does Lucy still believe in Bigfoot?"

"...Yes" he said suspiciously.

"Then I got something I think would make her Christmas better. She's in remission, but I think she should have something a little extra on the side."

I could see the wheels turning in both Dad and Uncle Alex's heads. Then, like a light, Uncle Alex figured it out.

"I think Lucy's old enough to go hunting."

* * *

A few days later, Lucy, Uncle Alex, Dad, and I were headed up the rocky road to the hunting grounds. Lucy kept saying how excited she was. She seemed quite eager even if that meant taking a few deer with us. She'd gotten smarter over the past few years ever since I shot my first deer, understanding what Dad and I were really doing. And she seemed to take it well. One thing I knew about Lucy was that she wasn't an average 11-year-old.

"I'm so excited! I can't wait!"

I knew she'd be saying how much fun she had here after hunting.

"Oliver." Said Dad. "When we get there, I got an early Christmas present for you in the back."

Now I was excited. But I had a good idea of what it could be.

When we got to the hunting grounds, there were no trucks around. Good. The less bystanders in this, the better.

I got out, pulling my hood up over my head. My green hunting hoodie was now torn from all the bushes I had run through, and too small for me. I almost wished that that was what was waiting for me in the back of the truck. But it was just as good.

My dad had gotten me a brand new compound bow, complete with a marksman sight and a spring launcher. Granted, while I was quite comfortable with my regular recurve bow, which was also in the truck, I was glad to get this. It would make hunting a lot easier.

"Ok, Lucy. When we go out, you listen to me and Uncle Shawn no matter what. And only shoot when we tell you." Said Uncle Alex.

"What about Ollie?"

"I'm gonna head off somewhere else. I can cover more ground, and I'll make less noise on my own. With any luck I can get us another deer." I said.

"Careful with the new bow, son. It packs a good kick."

"I got it, Dad." I said, slinging my quiver over my shoulder.

And with that, I headed off. Dad and Uncle Alex helped me plan out this for Lucy for 2 whole days. We had a good way of communication as well. All I had to do was find the package, and maybe score a few kills to throw Lucy off.

I was lucky enough to find a deer while I was up on a higher rock. My dad had told me before I left the truck that he had it's draw length and weight set for me. All I needed was to shoot. I pulled an arrow out of my quiver, and got the shot ready. The deer suddenly looked up, and right at me, just as I was about to let go.

I couldn't spook the deer, or he'd run off, and I'd get sidetracked and forget why we really were here. I wasn't expecting this deer to be smarter than normal. I froze, and didn't move a muscle. The draw weight on the bow was heavier than I expected. I thought I had it tough with my last bow. Now I was begging one of two things to happen: Either the deer ignore me, or I suddenly have my recurve back in my hands. But neither of those things happened. I could feel the string almost trying to slice my fingers off. Then the deer finally looked away, and went back to eating the grass, giving me the chance to shoot it.

I let go, and the arrow sprang off the bow with almost lightning speed, slipping right through the deer and out the other side. The deer fell, and I ran over. After slinging the deer over my shoulder (which was quite heavy), I checked the time. I had only a few minutes to get the gear, and find the others. Luckily, the hiding spot wasn't too far.

After carrying the deer the rest if the way, I made it to the hollow tree. I reached in, grabbing the furry coat, pants, and hood.

I had decided that Lucy should have a chance to see something as awesome as Bigfoot. What I didn't tell Dad or Uncle Alex was that I was doing it because I was afraid. I was afraid that Lucy's cancer would come back soon after this, and she would check out without seeing something like this.

After struggling a bit with the suit, I finally was ready. I even had prepared a special pair of shoes to look like Bigfoot's feet. I left the deer, my hood, and my bow in the hollow tree after leaving. Finally I waited for the signal.

*Bang!* I heard a loud gunshot, and started sprinting for it. It was really hard, especially with the Bigfoot shoes on. The gunshot could be any other hunter, but I could feel that it was the others.

*Bang!* the second shot rang out. There was only one left to hear before I knew I was to come into sight. This was much closer than last time.

*Bang!* there was the third one. It sounded really close. I slowed to a walk, and crept around, making sure it was the others.

"...good shot, Lucy!" I heard a voice. "It looks like we'll be having some good rabbit for dinner in a few days."

That was Uncle Alex. I needed to wait for the code words before I could let them see me.

"I wish Ollie was here. I want to see how he hunts." Said Lucy.

"I'm sure he'll turn up somewhere, Lucy. He's a good cousin, and a great hunter."

Those were the code words. I gave myself plenty of distance before walking out into the open.

I heard Lucy shriek a bit before she quieted down. I kept my cool, and started walking like I thought a Sasquatch would. Really I was just walking like normal, but also trying to keep my balance in the big ass shoes. I looked over to where the others were, daring them to move. None of them did, and I saw Lucy had the rifle out. But she was probably only using the scope to see me. And luckily, I had made sure my face was well hidden. She'd only see a big person covered in fur when she looked at me.

I went back to walking my Sasquatch walk, and when I was certain that they could no longer see me, I started back to the hollow tree.

Hopefully Lucy took in that moment. I wanted nothing more for her than to have a good life. She never really had problems with bullies or anything. She was one of those "glass half full" people. But I kept thinking of her cancer, and her attitude on the situation. If she was in remission, there was a good chance it would come back.

I was soon at the hollow, putting my tattered hood back on and grabbing the deer and my bow. I headed out with the deer, and started whistling for the others. Before long I heard someone whistling back. I headed towards the noise, and Lucy flung herself at me, making me drop the deer.

"You should have seen it, Ollie!"

I dusted myself off. "Wait, what?"

"I can't believe it either!" Said Uncle Alex. He winked at me.

"What was it?!"

"We saw Bigfoot!" She squealed excitedly.

"No kidding?! Holy crap! I wish I was there, but I was able to score us this!" I pointed to the deer.

"Excellent, Oliver. But we're not done here, yet. Lucy wanted to see you hunt a bit."

"Ok. Sure." I agreed. I could tell that Dad knew I had overheard them talking while I was "away".

I grabbed my bow, and drew an arrow out.

"Best give me some space. It'll make less noise."

Lucy nodded, and I climbed into the tall grass around, ready to spring back into the hunter that I was back home.


	20. Chapter 20: Big News

Chapter 20: Big News

**A/N: Sorry about the wait. I had to write a new version of this. On the plus side, we see Cindy again.**

I'm not proud of what happened after I started in New York. Hell, I don't really understand why half the stuff I last said to my family was said. I wish I could go back to them, but after what happened, I just couldn't face them. I hated it every day of my life.

Barney and I realized we were, in a way, polar opposites. That was what made us good friends. But sometimes, there came moments where I had to be a jerk to him for him to understand things.

* * *

That night, I was in one of my zoned out stages. Sometimes I shifted a shot of vodka between two glasses, other times I flipped my bottle opener back and forth. This night I just stood at the bar. Then, something strange happened, that I didn't expect. I saw Barney over by the booth, talking to an older man. I walked over in interest.

"Can I get either of you gentleman refills?" I asked.

The older man handed me his glass. "Milk, skim."

Barney looked over in confusion, and so did I. Never in the 8 somewhat years of bartending had I been asked to bring some guy a glass of milk.

"Barney, do you mind introducing us?"

Barney straightened out. "Um, Jerry, this is Ollie. He's a bartender around here. And a good friend." He nodded at me. "Ollie, this is Jerry." He took a beat. "My dad."

I looked over at Jerry. So this was Barney's dad that he never knew. He nodded at me. "It's nice to meet you, Ollie."

"Same here, Jerry. You must be some kind of master of awesome to have a son like Barney."

Jerry laughed. "Oh, right. No, I'm a driving instructor."

I was confused. Barney was an awesome guy in suits that did god knows what for GNB, and his dad's a driving instructor?

"Well, I bet that you're just as good at getting women as your son. Maybe even better! The master is always better."

"Oh, god no." Said Jerry. "I have a family up in Westchester.

Ok now I was shocked after hearing more of Jerry's backstory. The fact that Barney's dad was actually a suburban family man with three kids, two of which were grown up made me really confused. I expected an older clone of the awesome, if not insensitive, suit guy that regularly ordered scotch from me.

"Well, I'll get you that milk." I said, as I got up and over to the bar.

Barney and Jerry kept talking after I gave the milk to Jerry, then left the bar after Jerry tried getting a girl to give Barney her number.

I understood what Jerry was doing. He was trying hard to connect with Barney on some level. I felt bad considering what it was between me and my whole family, while Barney had a father ready to be his father. It made me feel like I wanted to call my parents.

After work, I punched in the number on my phone. All I had to do was hit the call button, and then I'd be talking with them. But I couldn't do it. This wasn't the first time I had tried calling them, and failing. It wasn't that I was mad. If anything I was afraid. But I never really liked talking about what it was that I had said that made me afraid to talk to them.

"C'mon, Ollie." I said to myself. "You've done this dance before. Hit the fricking button! Stop being such a pussy."

I shook my head. This couldn't happen.

* * *

A few nights later, Barney was drinking alone in the bar. It was slow that night, so it made it easy for me to walk over with a drink to start talking with Barney.

"No Jerry tonight?"

"No." Said Barney, blankly.

"Why not?"

"Because we don't connect on anything. The dude might as well have broken the entire Bro Code."

"Oh, come on, Barney. That's gotta be a bit harsh." I said.

"No, Ollie. You don't get it. My dad's a boring suburban dad with three kids, two of which grew up knowing him. I never got that. Therefore, I'm never seeing him again."

I leaned up close to his face. I could smell the drinks. "Barney, you know you're my bro. And I'm you bro, I hope. Which makes me know that it's my responsibility to tell you this: you're a fucking idiot."

Barney looked up at me without blinking or saying anything while I continued. He may have been thinking I was some crazy asshole. *shrug*.

"You have a chance to reconnect with your dad for the first time in thirty years. I, for one, haven't even seen my own family in almost ten years. Before you ask, know that I'd rather not talk about it. It ended on bad terms, and now I'm afraid of talking to them. But you don't get the option to stop talking to Jerry. That man is not only you're father." I got up really close to Barney's face, about three inches away. "That man is someone who wants to be your father. Be his son, for god's sake." I yelled in his face.

Barney didn't reply. He got up from the booth, took one last drink, and walked out of the bar without a word.

* * *

After my bar shift ended, my phone rang. It was Cindy.

"As I live and breath! Cindy!" I answered.

"Ollie! You gotta come to our apartment when you get the chance! Casey and I have an announcement. Get Juno to come, too! And bring champagne."

I laughed. "You said the magic words!"

My "Holmes Mind" told me only one possibility as to why Cindy was so excited, but I decided to wait until I heard it from the horse's mouth. I called Juno, and we headed over to their apartment. I didn't say anything about me knowing Juno was tagging the Arcadian. Now was not the time.

Things had been going quite fast for Casey and Cindy, but I knew for a fact that they were meant for each other, so I encouraged them to be together. Cindy had recently moved in with Casey, leaving Juno and I staying in our apartments on our own.

We headed into their apartment. It was a nicer place than my own, but then again, that's what happens when the apartment's rented by two girls and not one guy. I could smell cookies in the oven.

"It's great you guys could be here!" Said Cindy. She was grinning ear to ear.

"Anything for a sister, Cindy." I laughed. "Hey, Casey."

"Ollie. You look well." She said.

"That's funny. Because I was yelling at a friend less than an hour ago. I feel anything but"

Cindy looked puzzled, then shook it off.

"Got a little announcement." She smiled.

She did the only thing that I was expecting: She showed us her hand. Then, I saw a sparkle on her finger.

"No fucking way!" I laughed.

It was an engagement ring.


	21. Chapter 21: Origins- Green Hood

Chapter 21: Origins- Green Hood

The hunt was really successful. Clearly the big city didn't take the marksman out of me. Just like that Christmas a few years ago, we had venison for dinner on Christmas Eve with the deer from my first shot with the new bow.

"Oliver, would you like to say anything?" Said my mom before we started on the deer.

"Uh, sure." I got up, and cleared my throat.

"I've lived in New York for only a few months, and I'm already enjoying it. I'm even in training for a job to get me through school. I feel very thankful that almost everyone of the family could make it here. Especially Lucy. Now let's see if that deer's just as good as it appeared"

And I'm pleased to say that indeed, it was.

* * *

A while later, at around 2 am, I couldn't sleep. So I headed into the living room for no real reason. Interestingly enough, someone was already there.

"Hey, Ollie."

I sat down on the couch with Lucy. "It's gonna be a great Christmas, Lucy. I can feel it."

"I feel it, too. I mean, seeing a Sasquatch! That's huge."

"Yeah. I really wish I was there." I said, trying not to laugh.

"It was magical. I think I saw it for a reason."

"What reason is that?" I asked.

"Destiny. I was meant to see him."

Lucy always believed that everything happens for a reason. I never really got that. I wasn't religious, or scientific. I just though that things just happened. No reason for it.

The clock in the living room suddenly stuck loudly. It was 2:30.

"Well, cuz. I should tell you something. But you gotta promise me you don't tell anyone yet."

Lucy crossed her heart. "I promise." She said.

"I found my passion." I said.

"Hey, no way! That's awesome! What do you want to do?"

"I'm training to be a bartender when I'm of age. Once that happens, I'm gonna start my own bar in New York."

"Well that's great, Ollie. But when are you gonna tell the rest of the family?"

"Not anytime soon." I replied. "Not that I'm ashamed of the thought of running a bar, but I now realize that it was what I was meant for. I feel it's what I should do."

"You know what that is, Ollie?" Said Lucy. "That's destiny. Everything happens for a reason. That's the simple way how life works. It's not complicated. It's why we get up in the morning. It's why we meet important people throughout our lives. It's why we meet the 'One' for us. That's fate."

* * *

"Oliver, this is fantastic!" Said my dad. It was Christmas morning, and he had unwrapped my gift: a brand new holster for his rifle.

"Open ours, Oliver." Said Uncle Alex.

I grabbed a box marked from Uncle Alex and Auntie Terri. Inside was a massive New York City atlas and guidebook.

"Kinda big for just one city." I said.

"Oh, but it's more that that, Oliver." Said Auntie Terri. "It provides information for almost every landmark and place of interest in the whole state. You'll know a whole lot about New York after reading this."

Lucy jumped up onto me, hugging me again. She had opened my gift.

"I love it!" She cried.

"Heh heh." I chuckled. "Had a feeling you would. And to top it off, I got the whole family 'I heart NY' shirts."

"Open mine, now, Ollie!" Said Lucy.

She pulled a flat box out from under the tree, and handed it to me. I pulled off the lid.

It was a dark green hoodie. Nothing on it or anything, but I tried it on, and saw that it fit me much better than my old hunting hood.

I gave Lucy a big hug. "Thanks, cuz. I love it!" I said.

"I know you like Green Arrow. This isn't themed from the comic, but I hoped you'd like it."

That hoodie still means a lot to me. And to this day, has stayed as my favorite hoodie.


	22. Chapter 22: No Tag Backs

**A/N: I should have said this sooner. I want to thank ImperiumWife for referencing this fanfic in theirs, and hope that those who haven't checked out "you don't see it?" are missing out on a great fanfic about Robin and Barney.**

* * *

Chapter 22: No Tag Backs

I ran over, giving Cindy and Casey a hug. Juno came over, squealing, and joined in. Cindy and Casey were getting married.

"Congrats, you two! I'm really happy for you."

Cindy returned the hug. "Thanks, Ollie. I knew you and Juno'd be the ones most excited about this. I mean, you're my best friends."

"So when do you guys think you'll do this?" Asked Juno.

"We're thinking in a year or so. Can't let it happen too soon."

"I hear you. Word of advice:" I said. "A few friends from the bar almost eloped in Atlantic City. They highly recommend against it."

"Good advice, Ollie." Said Casey. "Although we weren't planning on it."

"Do your parents know yet?" Asked Juno.

"You guys are the first to know." Admitted Cindy. "You're that important to us."

"Let's open that champagne." I walked over and grabbed the bottle, and a few glasses.

"To Cindy and Casey." I toasted. "There is no doubt in my mind that this future marriage will last forever." I shot off the cork.

* * *

With Marshall's explanation a few weeks ago, I realized the only logical suspect to be tagging the Arcadian without me for the past few months would have to be Juno. It turned out she was even more, to put it politely, eccentric than I put her out to be. But I wasn't mad. In fact, the next conversation we had after the engagement announcement was the complete opposite of an angry confrontation. But that night did not end well, even though it went off to a good start.

"Hail Juno: Queen of the Taggers!" I said when she stopped by my apartment a week after the announcement.

"You heard?" She said sheepishly.

"How many times did you tag the place, J?! I thought we were gonna keep it at a minimum!"

"I've been tagging it weekly since Christmas." She said, awkwardly. She looked like she was waiting for a punch from me. While I admit that I have had my share of bar fights, I'm not one to use fists solely to solve conflict. Ted said Marshall thought like that, too.

"Goddamn it! You could have gotten caught! My friend, Marshall said that Zoey's been taking note of when you've been tagging the place. She could have found out who you are!"

"Well, she hasn't. We had coffee a few days ago, and nothing weird happened. It was on friendly terms and everything. She has no idea what I've been doing."

"Listen, J. I'll be glad to go back to finish the job with you, but here's how we play it next time: We wait until the time is right, then get back at it. You and I must keep a low profile for a while"

"Got it."

"Can I get you to swear you won't go solo on this?"

Juno raised her hands. "I swear."

* * *

Juno ended up keeping her promise. But it was quite a wait before I finally decided we had waited enough.

It wasn't until over 2 months had passed before Zoey fought back against me and Juno, without realizing it. That night at the bar, Barney was discussing the plans on the method to blow up the Arcadian.

"I have gotten quite good with a bow and arrow, Barney. I could shoot an explosive one to hit the ones connected to the Arcadian."

After I confronted him about his dad, Barney and Jerry eventually connected as father and son. He ended up thanking me for setting him straight that night.

"Nah," he said. "but that is good thinking, Ollie. I was thinking about either training a real coyote to push an Acme dynamite plunger to activate the explosives, or hook them up to Eddie Van Halen's guitar and they'll spark up with the last note of 'Hot For Teacher'."

"Genius, Barney." I said. "I can't wait to see the look on Zoey's face when the Arcadian comes crumbling down along with her dreams."

"Wow, Ollie. I thought tagging the Arcadian was mean to her, but you are ruthless." Said Ted.

"What?! How did-...Marshall." I groaned.

"I will give you props on you and your friend's creativity in messages, Ollie." Said Barney. "Arthur Hobbs liked how you referenced Ferris Bueller. You guys have made a name for yourselves around my office. People talk about the Mystery Taggers like you guys are Batman."

"First off, I'd prefer to be known as Green Arrow. Second, I'm glad Arthur caught that reference." I said. "Zoey needs to understand that the Arcadian is pointless to save. Once it goes down, better things will come out of it. And by the way, Ted. How the hell do you manage to date her when she's trying to destroy everything you're working for?"

"Simple." Said Ted. "We don't talk about it."

"It's gotta come up sometimes." I said.

"No, you'd be surprised. It's easier to not talk about it than it seems."

Then I looked over at the door. "Ah! Speak of the devil, and she shall appear."

Zoey walked up. "Hey guys." She said to the others. "Bastard." She said to me.

"Nice to see you too, bitch." I replied.

"Meet the lawyer who's gonna help us save the Arcadian." She said, smugly.

As soon as he walked up, I cursed; it was Marshall.

* * *

Barney and I were super pissed at Marshall for doing this. Although for slightly different reasons. Barney was mainly angry that Marshall threw away the job at GNB to work with Zoey. I, on the other hand, was furious about Marshall betraying his friends.

"Marshall, what the hell is this?!" I said when Zoey left the bar. "Lemme break it down for you: That. Is. Pierson! She's trying to destroy all our efforts to tear down the Arcadian!"

"Ollie, you don't get it. Arthur has been sabotaging my job interviews. This is me giving GNB a taste of their own medicine by sabotaging their efforts as they have for mine."

"Forget GNB!" I snapped. "These are some of your friends that you are working against. Imagine how hard this must be for Ted and Barney to see their own friend willingly work with the enemy!"

"And I suppose spraying 'Pierson eats it' on a wall in the Arcadian is supporting them?" He noticed my face as I realized something. "Don't worry, I haven't told Zoey who the taggers are. Just don't do it again."

I scowled. "I can't promise that, Marshall. Not after what you've done. Your actions could singlehandedly obliterate everything that Ted and the rest of us have worked hard through his life. Think about that, if you somehow manage to save the Arcadian from getting torn down."

* * *

Marshall was dead wrong into thinking that I would stop tagging the Arcadian after what happened. The second he left the bar, I called up Juno.

"Juno, it's me." I said. "The arcade needs to be sprayed." I smiled at my rhyme.

"On it. Meet at your apartment at 2200 hours."

Soon I was pulling my green hood over my head, throwing several cans of spray paint into my bag. I had gotten a little more creative, getting several different colors. We'd be showing Zoey why the Arcadian wouldn't be considered a landmark in a week at the conference.

There was a knock at my door. I slung my bag over, as Juno walked in.

"You good?" She asked.

"Hell yeah. Let's go."

* * *

As May was just starting, the night was a little warmer than before. I kept wondering what we would be writing in the graffiti tonight, and how much. I had a burning desire to climb up and spray the lion head stone work into oblivion. That would lose some points in the Arcadian's possible preservation. But I decided that literally risking my neck by climbing up there wasn't worth it.

"Hey, check it." Said Juno. "I got us some music to get us in the zone."

She hit play on her iPod, and started tiptoeing up to the front door. The song was the theme from The Pink Panther. I laughed, and tiptoed behind her as well, both of us stepping in time with the music.

I thought I should just stick to a basic message to write. So, with Juno's help, we wrote in huge multicolor letter on another wall in the entrance hall "Fuck Zoey Pierson."

"We should probably spread it out a bit." Said Juno.

"Agreed." I said. "We'll cover the whole of one floor. But first, let's find a room you didn't give a new color, and get that done."

We went up the rickety stairs and I popped out another two sprays cans, giving one to Juno. We ran down the halls, spraying the walls up. I couldn't wait to see Zoey's face when karma came back to bite her in the ass.

"Ollie! This one!" Said Juno.

I ran over, and we were standing at a closed door.

"This room has not been tagged." She said. "I feel like changing that."

I got my can at the ready. "Kick in the door at the count of 3?" I said.

"Count of 3!" She echoed.

"1..."

"2..."

"3!" We kicked the door in, the door frame's splinters blowing out. I then covered my ears as Juno screamed shrilly, along with the person who was behind the door. No doubt this had thrown a snag in our plans.

* * *

Zoey had been waiting for us. She hadn't taken Juno'd tagging lightly, and had been camping out in that room every night for a while. It was only a matter of time before we struck that room, she thought. She was right.

"You betrayed us, Juno!" She screamed. "You know this prick!" She pointed at me.

"Hey! He's not a prick! He's my best friend!" Said Juno. "And I didn't betray you! I was never on your side!"

"That makes you even more wretched! You and Oliver were the taggers all along. How could you do this?!" She was beside herself, practically in tears.

I laughed, walking over to a wall. "Like this!" I said. I gave the wall a good spray, with Zoey screaming at me.

"Stop! You don't know what you're doing!"

"What damage could this do?" I snapped. "This place was a shithole even before we started tagging it!"

"You take that back! The Arcadian is a beautiful, magnificent hotel!"

"Like hell it is! Ted's my friend, and I'm doing him a favor. Once the committee sees the graffiti here, they won't declare it a landmark, and GNB Tower will stand tall here in the next year and a half."

"Not if I turn in the vandals responsible for this!"

"Vandals?" Said Juno. "Vandalism's definition only applies to public or private property. This place is neither, so we're good!"

Zoey looked at Juno in fury. "How could you, Juno? I thought you were my friend."

"I never was. You ruined crossword day for me and Ollie. You made this personal for us."

"That's pathetic. I 'ruin' something for you, and you damage a priceless landmark!"

"Priceless landmark? This place could have the potential to be a landmark if it wasn't such a rundown landfill! I've only seen less graffiti on the Cadillacs in Amarillo Desert! Someone should really clean it up!" I said.

That hit a nerve. Zoey screamed and lunged at me. Juno and I ducked out of the way, and we sprinted off down the halls.

"See you at the conference, bitch!" I called out behind us as we sprinted down the stairs, out the doors, and onto the street. We didn't stop running until we got back to our apartments.

"Did we do our job?" Asked Juno.

"Not sure. All we can do now is wait. Wait until the Arcadian's fate is decided for good. I guess it goes without saying, but I'm done with tagging buildings, even if it's to prove a point. What about you, J? You gonna stop tagging?"

"Yeah, Ollie. The Arcadian was our only target. We're done here."

I'm glad to say that Juno kept her promise. We did our job, and we were given a sort of thanks for our efforts a few weeks later.


	23. Chapter 23: Revenge Solves Everything

**A/N: So this week I will be at a place that has no Internet for a few days, leaving me unable to update until Friday night. But I will write a lot more chapters there, leaving it easier for me to update more frequently. All I ask is be patient, have an awesome week, and I'll see you guys on Friday night with a new chapter.**

**P.S: I'm aware this isn't another flashback chapter, but I couldn't get it ready for tonight.**

* * *

Chapter 23: Revenge Solves Everything

-set during "Landmarks"-

I swore to myself when I was a kid, that I would never become a "fat cat" corporate asshole like the ones that infect our economy. I kept my promise, even avoiding Wall Street, despite the fact that I had my Econ degree. But I still felt a lot of shame for showing up to the meeting on the Arcadian's fate: I was among the people I hated.

* * *

"Arthur, this is Oliver Blake. A good friend of mine." Said Barney.

"Pleasure, Oliver." Said Arthur Hobbs. He didn't shake my hand, and neither did I to his. It was clear that neither of us thought highly of the other. I heard stories about "Artillery Arthur". Real prick who's constant obsession was his dog, Tugboat, firing his employees left and right simply for wearing green ties and other stupid reasons. I could only imagine what he thought of me, a regular New York citizen. I could almost see the look of loathing in his eyes.

I was at the meeting on the Arcadian's fate held by the LPC. I had shown up to support Ted in his speech. I was upset though, that Marshall was on the opposing side in this fight. He shouldn't have stood with that damn blonde. He should have stood with his friends.

"We better sit down." Said Barney. "They're about to call the meeting to order."

I sat down right behind Barney, where I still felt uncomfortable: here I was in my old green hoodie and jeans, and I was surrounded by suits.

The meeting discussed the things the Arcadian had given the city of New York in it's many years of standing as a building in Manhattan. A sort of little brother of all the other skyscrapers around it. Marshall was asked to present his thoughts on what should happen to the Arcadian. As Zoey's lawyer, he had to explain the benefits of keeping the Arcadian standing. In a way, the whole meeting was like reading a "pros and cons" list. I will admit that Marshall gave me a few laughs by saying some entertaining rhymes. Then it was Ted's turn to speak.

"Mr. Mosby, it's quite simple. Do you think the Arcadian should be a landmark?" Said the chairman of the committee.

A hush went over the crowd as Ted prepared to say his answer to the question.

"No." He replied. "There are many important building in New York that are landmarks. The Arcadian isn't one of them."

Some people in the hall murmured. Some in agreement, others in shock.

"That Mosby kid knows what he's doing." Said one guy behind me.

"He's gonna save us all." Said another.

All of the sudden, Zoey ran up to the stage. She produced a voice recorder from her pocket, and hit play. The recorder played Ted's voice, saying many disrespectful thing to GNB, and him also saying that the Arcadian should be a landmark. I then understood: Zoey had broken her word, and had kept the tape she had claimed to erase months ago. I scowled. It was just as I had expected.

"Holy shit, Ollie. You were right." Said Barney. "She didn't get rid of the tape like you said she wouldn't."

The remainder of the meeting was one of the toughest things I ever saw. I could only imagine how hellish it was for Ted, the one who had to face what Zoey threw him into. After the meeting was wrapping up, the chairman said a few final words.

"We will be gathering here tomorrow at the same time, to officially declare the Arcadian's fate. Until then, meeting adjourned." He smacked his gavel onto the pad.

Zoey started out the door, where I ran after her.

"What the hell was that?!" I yelled out at her. She turned around.

"Just some good old fashioned revenge. Ted broke his promise, so I broke mine."

"Wrong. You broke your word to him, and was using that tape as insurance in case he changed his mind, even though you were his girlfriend. You are many things in this debate, Zoey Pierson. But 'fair fighter' isn't one of them."

"What about you? Does 'tagger' mean 'fair fighter'?"

"At least I can fight honestly. You lied to people who you said were your friends." Then I laughed when I realized something: "You're no better than the 'fat cats' that you fight. You cheat, you lie, and you do whatever it takes to win. That's why you lose, Pierson! When the Arcadian isn't declared a landmark, you'll pay for your dirty fighting."

Zoey walked up to me slowly. "You're forgetting something, 'Ollie'. I used revenge. It solves everything." She walked away, leaving me angry and confused.

* * *

"How the hell are we gonna beat Pierson now?" I said. The six of us were down in the bar that night, discussing what happened.

"What are we gonna do?" Said Ted. Then, all three of the other guys then said in unison "we should buy a bar!"

"Whoa! Guys, hate to be Buzzkill Blake here, but small problem: you got no idea how to run one. I know only one person at this table with two thumbs and the proper training to run one:" I pointed at myself with the thumbs. "This guy!"

"I got it!" Said Marshall, ignoring me. "Themed bar: courtroom!"

"That...actually sounds awesome!" I admitted.

"Where you show up, then get served!" Said Barney.

"And you are judged by a jury of your beers!" Laughed Robin.

"Stop!" Said Lily. "No one's buying a bar! You heard Ollie. Only he has the experience to run one, and he works here!"

"Speaking of, shouldn't you be working, Ollie?" Asked Robin.

"It's my night off. But let's focus on the situation at hand: we need to stop Pierson."

"Lily!" Said Marshall. "If anyone's got a plan, then she does. I'm just gonna sit, and watch it happen."

I watched Lily take a few seconds, before her eyes lit up with inspiration.

"I got it!" She said.

She gave us a summary of the plan.

"Ho-lee shit." I muttered. "That'll work."

"We gotta find Arthur!" Said Ted.

The six of us jumped up out of our seats, and sprinted out the door to the street to look for Arthur. It took a while, but we found him, screaming at a dog who I assumed for a second was Tugboat, but turned out to be his replacement.

"Arthur, Marshall's wife has a plan to save not saving the Arcadian." Said Barney.

"Oh, does she?" He said sarcastically. "Lemme tell you something about wives! They leave, and they take your best friend with you!" He yelled at the dog. Then he started tearing up. Damn. He must really have missed his dog.

Marshall walked over and gave Arthur a hug. I felt bad for him in that second. I guess even suits had feelings, even if they didn't show it.

"What's the plan?" He asked.

After saying her demands, Lily explained.

Arthur grinned. "I'll get some construction crews working on it tonight."

"If that's the case," I said. "I'd like to tag it one last time." I don't know what processed me to stay that. It was as if my mouth had a mind of it's own.

"Dude, again?" Asked Ted.

"What's this about tagging?" Asked Arthur.

"Arthur," said Barney. "You met Ollie earlier today. But there's more to this kid than meets the eye. He was one half of the Mystery Taggers on the Arcadian."

"Hold on, it was you?!" He said. He then ran over and shook my hand. "It's good to finally meet you!"

I felt stupid shaking a guy's hand for defacing a building, but I did anyways.

"If Lily's plan to destroy the Arcadian works, then my partner and I will want to tag it one last time."

"Done!" Said Arthur. "You two made us at GNB applaud you for your work."

* * *

"Juno! It's Ollie!" I said a few minutes later.

"Hey! What's up?"

"I got us a deal done. How'd you like to deface the Arcadian one last time?"

"I'll get the paints! Meet you there in a bit!"

* * *

We were soon standing side by side in front of the Arcadian. The construction workers were already working on removing the lion head.

"So lemme get this straight. At the meeting today, Zoey got the upper hand by bringing up the lion head, and GNB's solution is to remove it?"

"That's it in a nutshell. I know we said we'd stop with the spray paint, but after hearing this could be the last chance to leave our mark, I just had to ask Arthur for this opportunity.

"Hell yeah. Let's do it." She pulled out a can of spray paint, and started the infamous clicking sound as she ran in.

I took out my can, and ran in.


	24. Chapter 24: Reserved

Chapter 24: Reserved

People describe me mostly as fiercely loyal friend. And when my friends are in a problem, I feel it my job to help them out of it. That day as I looked across the lecture hall, Zoey watching the chairman speak for the second time on the Arcadian's fate, I thought back to a week ago, when I helped the gang out of a recent jam. And I felt no doubt that they would be forever grateful for it.

* * *

That night I came back to the bar to see something bad: the gang wasn't in their regular booth. Some girls were now sitting there.

"Carl, why are those girls sitting in the gang's booth?"

"Simple." He replied. "Barney and Marshall were starting a bar fight, and I banned the whole gang for a while. They need to know that bars aren't the place for fights."

"On the contrary, Carl. The first bar David got me a job at, I was in 7 bar fights there. 3 of which I started myself just to stay in practice."

"Ah, David. He was a good teacher." Said Carl. He zoned out for a second.

"Anyways, when the gang is willing to cool off, I'll let them back. But that booth isn't reserved; It's only theirs because it's always free."

I couldn't stand for this. I had seen one of the girls at the booth before. She had been walking by wanting to sit in it for so long for some godforsaken reason. She had been giving the gang the stink eye for so long.

I walked up, and spoke to the girls.

"Ladies, I want to let you know that this booth us reserved, and you will be asked to leave when the regulars return."

"Nice try, man." Said the 'walk by' girl. She gave me a look of loathing you would not believe. It was looked I was staring into the darkest pit in this girl's eyes. "The other guy at the bar said this booth isn't reserved. We're staying here as much as we want." To prove how serious she was, she put her feet up on the table.

"Fuck" I muttered. I ran out of the bar to the sidewalk, flipped out my phone, and called Lily.

"Hello?"

"Lily! It's Ollie."

"Hey, Ollie! How'd you get this number?"

"Long story. Barney passed your numbers onto me. I'm hoping I can do you guys a favor?"

"Sure. We're upstairs right now."

"Great. I'll be there.

* * *

I never had been to the apartment upstairs. I had heard that four of the gang had been moving in and out of that place for the past few years.

I knocked on the door, and Robin answered.

"Hey, Ollie. C'mon in."

"Thanks."

She let me in, and I saw the others, minus Marshall.

"Where's Marshall?" I asked.

"He refuses to be around Barney, and didn't want to be here after he heard Barney was here." Said Lily.

"Ok. Sucks that their in a spat, but that's not why I'm here."

"What is it, Ollie?"

I then explained the situation to them as fast as possible.

"Those girls got territorial when I tried to warn them to leave when you got back. There's no way they'll leave."

"Unless..." Said Barney. I could see the gears turning in his head.

"Whatcha got, Stinson?" I asked.

"I have a guy at work. Photo guy, Trevor. I do...certain things to objects I don't want people to touch. He shows pictures for me"

I now wish I didn't say the following sentence: "What kinds of things?"

Barney responded by taking out his phone. "This I did to Marshall's drink the other night." He showed me the photo on the phone. I'm not gonna even try to describe what it was, because it was too sick.

"Goddamn it! Barney, that is wrong!"

Barney grinned. "That's what he said!"

"What does that sick shit have to do with trying to get back the booth?!"

Lily understood. "That's sick, but it could work."

"No!" I snapped, once I saw what Barney intended to do. "I won't allow it in the bar that I love!"

"C'mon, Ollie. You want to get rid of those bitches, this is our best shot." Said Robin.

"Ted, thoughts?" I asked.

"Really, it's not among my priorities. I'm just working on getting ready to declare the Arcadian a landmark."

I groaned. "Dammit! Not you, too! Ted, whatever fantasy ending you think you have with Zoey, it's not gonna end up at the end of an aisle or anything! It's gonna end soon, and it's gonna end badly!"

Ted just got up, and walked out of the apartment.

"Okay, fine." I said, groaning. "I'll unlock the bar after closing tonight so you and whoever else you plan on using to do this sick crap to the booth. Then after you get the booth back, I don't want anything like that done in Maclaren's ever again. You got me?"

Barney nodded. "Got it!"

"God, the things I do to get my regulars back in their booth."

"Hah!" Said Lily. "He's like a nicer version of Doug!"

Robin laughed too. "Oh, yeah! He totally is! And also more hotter."

I shrugged. "Most girls like the Hunter."

"You hunt?" Said Robin.

"Grew up among the best in Port Angeles." I said. It felt sad to mention my family, but I was proud to be a hunter of the Blake family in that moment.

* * *

The next night, the girls came and sat in the booth as expected. Even though it was so sick, I was laughing so hard in my head at the fact that they were actually touching the table.

Robin and Lily then stepped into the bar, and after Carl let them in, came up with the stink eye to the girls. After they walked away, a man in a suit ran into the bar, with a big piece of paper, and showed it to the girls. In a flash, they had left the bar entirely. Robin and Lily started scrubbing up the table with disinfectant, and after they finished, gave me the thumbs up, thanking me for helping them take back the booth.

It didn't matter that Carl didn't think the booth was reserved. In my mind, it was. To five of my closest friends in New York.


	25. Chapter 25: Origins- First Half

Chapter 25: Origins- First Half

My life went on for another few years with it being almost completely uneventful. Lucy stayed healthy through to her 13th birthday, and I kept training under David's eyes. I soon could go so far as to make a martini with my eyes closed, without being allowed a drop of it. David still stuck to his "no drinking" policy with me, because of course, I was too young. Whatever.

* * *

September 2002

I had been in Econ for almost 3 years. My dad agreed that one more year would be an appropriate time for my degree before I became an investor. But there was a problem I hadn't told him: Even after 2 years under David's teachings, Dad still didn't know what I really wanted to do. I found my passion with bartending, and I had plans to start my own bar when I could do it. I only could hope that my knowledge with Econ would help me start the bar. Then again, owning property is revolving around that area.

I was starting my new semester in Econ that day. The whole lecture hall was packed with students, with me in the middle of them. I always wondered how teachers in previous generations could talk so loudly without an intercom or loudspeaker. It was ridiculous.

"Good afternoon, students!" Called the professor after he walked out to the center of the hall. "My name is Professor Davis, and welcome to Econ 101."

Prof. Davis then went through a long and boring speech that I was amazed I was able to stay focused on the whole time, despite not having any sleep last night. Finally, class was approaching it's last half hour, and the professor then spoke up with our work.

"This is only our introduction class, but we are going to try something simple in the next few weeks. I assume a lot of you have played the Stock Game?"

The class groaned, but the professor smiled.

"Now, now. There's a lot of work that goes into this, and to serve as a review. When it starts, you'll be buying, trading, and selling stocks freely of your own accord for 3 weeks. I have a prize waiting for the one who is able to make the most money at the end. Any questions?"

No one raised their hand. I could almost hear a cricket chirping like in those old cartoons.

"Excellent. Now on that note, do your research, and prepare for the trading. Class dismissed"

I left the lecture hall, my hopes high. I had done the stock game before, making the most money in 3 different classes. This should be easy.

"This'll be a piece of cake." I heard someone say.

"Don't jinx it, Mary." Said another. "It's all about finding the right patterns, and picking the ones from the less volatile."

"You focus too much on the numbers, Cindy. You may be good, but it counts to have street smarts as much as skills with numbers."

That girl, Mary was right. It was what made me a great investor: that I knew what was trending when it was. That was why I could tell I was going to win this thing. I was that good.

* * *

2 weeks later...

I saw the fingers flying up. Three in one hand, one in another, four going up, six going down. I scribbled down the movements into my note pad. I was at the New York Stock exchange, taking notes on the people on the trading floor. I was up in a waiting area, with a large glass window looking out on the trading floor. Might sound like I'm some kind of psychotic stalker, but what I was taking notes of was what companies they were buying shares from. If I knew that, then I would know which companies were the ones to invest in. So far I had gained almost 5,000 dollars, adding up to the 50 grand of fake money that I was given to start out in. But there had been some losses. I was able to come back from losing 3 grand when my patience wore off and I sold some shares too early. But now, here I was, gaining money from 5 Gs, and rising fast. I felt confident that I had gotten the most out of my shares.

"You taking notes too?" Said a voice.

I looked to my right to see a girl sitting beside me. She had wavy brown hair and eyes. I almost mistook her for an older looking Lucy, but this girl had longer hair. Lucy's hair had regrown back a bit recently, but it still was fairly short. This girl had a notepad with her as well.

"Yeah. I assume you're in Econ at Columbia?" I replied.

"You know it." She said.

I heard something. Her voice sounded familiar. But I just ignored it.

"I'm making a ton of money in this." I bragged. "I think I'm gonna make it pretty damn high."

"Good luck there, sport." She said. "I'm out of here." She got up and walked away, leaving me to continue to write my notes. I looked back down at the floor to see someone buy 3 shares from

Coke.

* * *

The day finally came a week later for the final hand ins for the stock portfolios. Prof. Davis said to simply hand in the proof of shares, and a grand total of the amount of money you made. I walked up front with my folder filled with papers on the shares, and my grand total, which I had no doubts was huge.

After looking through the folders, Prof. Davis went up to the front.

"Some of you could have done better at this, but some of you I'm impressed at. I will be calling up the top 20 students in their trades. When I call your name, come on down." He chuckled at the Price is Right reference.

Davis then went down the list, reading off students that I didn't know yet. Then again, I had just started in this class along with a whole bunch of other students.

"Oliver Blake!" He called. "You're up!"

I got up from my seat and made my way to the front of the lecture hall. I knew I had done good.

"Cindy Smith!"

The girl I had seen the other day walked up and stood among others students. So it turned out we were in the same class. I knew she looked familiar.

"Alright! All the rest of you have done a fantastic job, but these are the twenty who made it on top. Some on luck, others on skill. Let's count down to the one who made it to the top."

Professor Davis read off a new list of people. I lasted into the top 15. Then the top 10. Finally, it was only me, Cindy, and 3 other students standing up at the front.

"Nathan Ramirez. You made it to the 5th. Great job!"

That guy nodded, and took his seat. Two others were soon called for 4th and 3rd place. At last, it was down to Cindy and me.

"Oliver, Cindy. You both have made it far in these past few weeks in this trading game. You're being judged solely by the grand total of money you've made in your stocks. Oliver." He looked at me. "You traded stocks in many companies, starting with 50 grand, and you have ended with a total of...$86,753!"

There was applause as I waved in acknowledgement. Cindy rolled her eyes at me.

"Cindy. You, on the other hand, traded quite a small amount, but you invested in the right companies. And your grand total of stock profits is..." He looked at the total, then called it out. "$86,756!"

It took me a second, but then I shouted out. Cindy had beat me by three fricking dollars!

* * *

After class I was upset. I had worked so hard on the stocks, and she tore it all down.

She walked up, smiling. "Good game, Oliver."

I scowled. "I wanted to win it. I really did. You took it from me."

Cindy laughed. I guess my harsh words were rolling like water of a duck's back. "I don't think you'd find it was worth it." She said.

"Oh, really? What could all that effort in trading those stocks be worth?"

Cindy held up her prize. "Apparently a voucher for a buy-one-get-one coffee at Starbucks."

I was appalled. "What? That's it?"

Cindy smirked. "He ripped us off, Oliver. The professor doesn't see any value in that kind of effort. I know we only just know each other as classmates, but I'd be willing to split it with you, if you want."

I shrugged. "What the hell."

We started walking. "You know, in a way, I feel better that you beat me." I said.

"What makes you say that?" She asked.

"I'm not meant for this Wall Street bullshit. I never liked it."

"Well then, I'm happy to help." She said smiling. "So then what are you after?"

"I'm gonna start my own bar once I'm of age."

Cindy smirked. "Yeah, that seems like a valid career path." She rolled her eyes again.

"Hey, it may not be easy to own a bar, but it's what I want to do."

"Just sounds like a lot of hard work."

"It's not work when you love doing it." I shot back.

Cindy raised an eyebrow, and smiled. "Well played. You make a good case."

I didn't know yet, but I had just met one of my future best friends for the next few years. That was one half of them. But I had yet to meet the other.


	26. Chapter 26: Shrink

**A/N: The story may take a much more serious tone at this point, but it's all leading up to the revelation of why Ollie is estranged from his family.**

* * *

Chapter 26: Shrink

5 months passed after the Arcadian was torn down. I attended the demolition ceremony personally, but Juno didn't. She just felt a bit better being hidden from view. Arthur thanked us for our help in a strange way after that, giving each of us cheques in front of most of the GNB employees, excluding Barney. I don't even remember the amount my cheque was anymore, only that it barely made a dent in my career as one of the best bartenders at Maclaren's. Yeah, Arthur was that cheap even with genuine gratitude.

Robin got in a little bit of trouble as October started. She beat the crap out of a crazy blonde that was following Barney, so that he could get back together with Nora. Nora I had heard a bit about, but never really met in person.

Robin met this guy, Kevin, her court mandated therapist, who she was soon dating after a few sessions. Now that was creepy.

* * *

"It's not creepy, Ollie!" She said that night.

"Robin, it's The Joker's level of creepy. Are you planning on killing Batman later by gassing him?!" I started gazing at Robin's face for a creepy grin.

Robin looked at me bewildered. "Nerd." She muttered, shaking her head.

"I prefer to be called 'geek'!" I called after her as she walked back to the booth. "There's a difference from what I see." I muttered.

Kevin soon was at the bar.

"I'll take what you recommend, Oliver." He said.

I jumped. I was hoping that even someone I was only acquainted with knew that I only liked being addressed to as to Ollie. I only allowed people to call me that if they only just met me.

"Don't call me that!" I said angrily.

Kevin backed away. "Um, sorry. What do I call you then? Ollie?"

I nodded.

"That's an odd sort of thing." He observed. "Some kind of attachment to a long lost friend who called you that and you never got over them?"

"Don't go there, Kevin. I'm only a bartender to you. I think you won't find any good in examining my head."

Kevin nodded. "Fine. But I think from what I see right here, that you should try therapy. Come see me if you're interested."

I laughed. "Hah! No thanks! You only just met me, and now you think I need therapy with you? Hell no!"

It wasn't that I was selfish over this whole thing. No one, not even Juno or Cindy knew what happened that left me the way I am 8 years ago. I just never wanted to talk about it.

* * *

*slap!* I clutched my face hard.

"Goddamn it!" I screamed. "It's not supposed to be that hard!"

"No, but I just just a Slap-plication card to apply more allowed power to my slap." Grinned Juno.

"She's right, Ollie. You just got slapped across the face. Deal with it." Said Cindy.

I couldn't help but laugh. Cindy, Casey, Juno and I were having a board game night. Marshall recommended me Slap Bet because he provided the inspiration for it a few years back. I was now regretting picking it up at the store.

"So how's the wedding plans going, girls?" I asked.

"Ugh! Exhausting." Said Casey. "I just wish it was much more simple than this. Why does marriage have to have so much damn planning?"

"You got me, Case." I said. I spun the spinner.

"Ooh!" I clapped. "'Slap Happy'!" I grabbed a card from the 'Slap Happy' deck.

"Three Stooges." I read. "Slap three people in a row...with your left hand."

"Hah!" Laughed Cindy. "There's always a catch."

"Hold on." Said Juno. "I saw Ollie write a letter with his left hand." She looked at me in horror.

"Incoming!" I called. I slapped each of them, hard. I wasn't a lefty or a righty. I could work on either side no problem.

"God!" Said Juno. "I think I had that coming. What kind of crazy bastard makes a game like this?" She moaned.

"Funny you should ask. The father of one of my friends from the bar."

"How are they doing?" Asked Cindy. "I know Ted's among them."

"He is indeed. He's currently working with the building crews for GNB's new headquarters. He's doing good. In other news one of his friends is dating her former therapist."

All three of the girls looked at me in the way I expected: confusion with awkwardness.

"That's creepy." Said Casey.

"Hah!" I laughed. "I know! That's what I said."

"A therapist?" Asked Juno. "How good is he?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, J. I never asked him. I think Robin mentioned that he went to Harvard and Princeton. He suggested I take therapy after I simply suggested to him that he call me Ollie." This, I know, was a lie: I had snapped at him for not calling me Ollie.

Juno gave me a look. "I have an idea, Ollie." She looked over at Cindy. She gave back a look of understanding.

"Yeah! He should!" She said.

"What?" I asked.

"You should go to him for therapy, Ollie." Said Juno. She then slapped me again; it was her turn.

"Ow! Why won't you slap someone else?!" I shook off the pain. "Why should I take therapy?"

"There's a lot of crap you're not telling us, Ollie." Said Cindy. "For example, you disappear for a week every year in June."

"That's a vacation." I said. Another lie.

"No it's not. It's always the same week: 21st through to the 28th. Always those days. Why is it always that week."

I gave Cindy a dark look. "Stop this, Cindy."

"What about the mood you were in when we first met?" Said Juno. "You seemed so eager to smash that guy's lights out when he was bothering me that night in the bar."

This was one of the most painful things I was being forced into. I knew they meant well, but now that white-hot burning sensation was coming back to my side. Something that I only remember feeling more than 8 years ago.

"Lay off, honey." Casey said to Cindy. "It's something too heavy for him to handle. Just leave him alone."

But Cindy ignored her. "What happened after we met, Ollie? You've refused to be called Oliver ever since June of 2003."

That did it. I stood up with a slam, hitting the table, and scattering the board's pieces.

"You girls..." I swallowed. "You girls are treading on some wicked thin ice here. I'd suggest stop asking questions before I do something I don't want to. I may even slap you for real."

Juno looked at me with shock. I had never spoken to them like that. But I think with good reason: she didn't just hit a nerve. She smacked it with a sledgehammer.

"I don't give a shit that you wonder what happened to me. That week caused me the most pain I ever felt in my life. I leave New York every year on that week to do something to forget what happened. You don't understand what it feels like to not only remember what was the worst thing to happen to you, but to have it come back to haunt you every single year to come."

* * *

I wish that they had forgotten what I said that night. I wish that they had dropped it instead of doing what happened in the weeks to come. I was too afraid to talk to Kevin afterwards. All it did was remind me of the idea to drag me into therapy.

One day a week later, Juno called me up with news that I thought was the biggest I had ever gotten in the longest time.

"Ollie! You're not gonna believe this!" She screamed. I had to hold my phone a few feet away from my face to hear Juno at normal volume.

"What is it, J?" I asked. I was still pissed off at her for what happened on game night, but this sounded important

"I found a guy that has access to get Arkham City early!"

"Are you shitting me?" I asked.

"No, I'm not! I'm in a cab outside! Get up here!" She sounded almost like she was running from zombies instead of freaking out over one of the games we were both excited for.

I ran up the stairs from the bar after clocking out, and jumped into the cab. Juno sat beside me, but she didn't look excited. She looked upset about something.

"I'm sorry, Ollie." She said. She grabbed me by the back of my head, and shoved a cloth into my face. After taking a good breath of it, I fell down, asleep.

* * *

"You know we have only an hour?" Said a voice.

I looked up to a bright light in my face. I strained my eyes to adjust to it.

"Oh, good! You're awake!" Said the voice. "Now we can start."

I looked around, seeing bookshelves and framed certificates. Then I looked down to see something that made me think of what the hell I was doing in that position.

I was tied to the chair I was sitting in, and whoever did the knots clearly knew what they were doing. There was no way, by my first glance, that I would be able to squirm out of the bindings.

"I don't like to use deceitful tactics, Oliver. But your friends are worried about you."

I looked up to see the one person who I should have thought of, in that split second: Kevin.

"It's Ollie, Kevin." I replied.

"Yeah, we'll get to that nickname later. Right now I'd like to talk about your family."

"No. How about we talk about why in God's name am I tied to this chair?!" I snapped.

Kevin set down his clipboard. "Alright. I met your friends, Cindy and Juno. They're worried about you, Ollie."

"They had no right to talk about my past to you like it was regular gossip."

"No. But what they do have a right to, as your best friends, is to be worried about you."

"Look, buddy, they got the wrong idea. They've got the wrong idea right now. You've got the wrong idea."

"Ollie, they told me about your 'trips' away from New York in June every year."

"So? They're one week like normal."

"I think that as a professional, it's my responsibility to notice when someone has an abnormal habit. To go away for the exact same week every year for 8 years, it means something happened a while ago. So Juno and Cindy signed you up for regular sessions with me for the next few months."

"Fuck no." I said. "I'm completely normal. I don't need therapy."

"Funny. My psychology professor told me that no one is normal, and everyone will need therapeutic help sometime in their lives." He smiled. "So why don't we start?"

"Can you untie me?" I asked.

"Sorry. I can't have you running off in this. It was Juno's idea. Also, I had this rope provided by the court. You have no idea how many court mandated lunatics will have the stones to try and attack me."

"Of course it was provided." I groaned. "If we're doing this, I need to know that it'll remain confidential between you and me."

"It's your choice, Ollie. I won't let anything you say come out of these walls, but you have full control over whether or not you want the others to know about what happened so long ago. Are you ready to begin?"

I sighed. "I guess so."

Kevin grinned, picking up his notepad. "So tell me where this all started."

I straightened up in my chair to begin my story. "Well for you to understand it, I guess I should start at a Christmas 16 years ago. It feels like a lifetime ago though."

Kevin started taking notes as I continued.

"I come from a family of hunters in Port Angeles in Washington. It was a good family business..."

* * *

"And so that Christmas where you shot your first deer is where you want to start your story?" Asked Kevin as the hour was finishing up. I had just spent most of my time telling him the first moment of the events.

"I want to talk about your cousin, Lucy." He said.

"Fuck." I muttered. I didn't want it to come to this, and yet, I expected it to happen.

"What was she like when you two were at those ages? You were 13, and she was 6" He asked.

I shrugged. "She annoyed the hell out of me with that nickname back then. She could never pronounce Oliver correctly when she was a baby. All she could say was Ollie, so even when she grew up to the point where she could say Oliver, she still called me Ollie."

"See, my notes tell me of a hunter in his adolescence, who hated nicknames, but I have right here a bartender who will only answer to that name. You really confuse me."

"I'm getting there." I said. I looked at the clock. "But it looks like our time is up."

Kevin glanced at his watch. "So it is. Good first session, Ollie. I expect you here in two weeks, where we'll continue." He started working on the bindings that kept me to the chair with a penknife he got from his desk. I was soon free.

"Ollie." He said as I got up.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Don't miss the next one." He said. "Juno said you'll be paying for the sessions yourself if you miss even one of them."

I shrugged. "Well then I'll just say that I have a therapist who permits snatching bartenders off the streets and tying them up." And with that, I walked out.

**A/N: Ollie told Kevin the events of the first "Origins" chapter, just so you understand.**


	27. Chapter 27: Canada Strikes Back

Chapter 27: Canada Strikes Back

-set during "The Slutty Pumpkin Returns"-

* * *

I've loved Canada growing up. It was almost literally my next door neighbor, and I spent a lot of weekends there. On the Island, or in Vancouver. Robin and I related a lot on the subject. She too had visited Port Angeles as much as I visited her town. It was a subject that we talked over a few times, but it wasn't until Halloween was approaching that came a turning point when we finally connected as friends.

* * *

"Canadian Whiskey, Ollie. A good one" Said Robin, one night at the bar.

"Hah. You got it Ms. Canuck. A special occasion? You don't usually order it unless if your celebrating something."

"Actually, yes." Then Robin got up really closely, lowering her voice. "You know how Barney's bashed on Canada a lot before?"

I snorted. "Robin, you're referring to a guy who just last week referenced the Stanley Cup Riot and saying it had something to do with the lack of suits there."

"Well, now he gets a taste of his own medicine!"

"Why?" I asked, grinning. I could see that whatever Robin was gonna tell me, it was awesome.

"His grandmother was born in Manitoba! He's one quarter Canadian!"

"Oh my god!" I breathed. "That. Is. Awesome!"

"I know!" Sniggered Robin. "Now I'm making fun of him. Can I ask for your help?"

"Sure, but I'm busy here." I gestured to the bar counter, with the dirty pint glasses. "I'll get Alice to give this to him."

I had Alice take the whiskey to Barney, then laughed from afar as he spewed it out.

Later, Robin came back up. "So, Ollie. You got plans for Halloween?"

"Sometimes. I have a costume I wear every year."

"Well, if you're not busy, you're welcome to come up to the roof party. I'm have plans to make Barney go as something humiliating."

"You didn't." I laughed.

Robin shrugged. "He had it coming. So, Halloween?"

"I'll be there. Thanks."

* * *

A few days later, I woke up for Halloween. I got up, and put on my costume. I was about to leave the apartment, when there was a knock at my door.

"Who's there?" I asked, cautiously, trying to get into character.

"It's me." Said Juno's voice from behind the door.

She opened the door, and stepped in. We both started laughing at the sight of each other.

"Again?" She asked, sniggering.

I had worn a green hood, and donned and bow and quiver to go along with it.

"I forget who the hell you're supposed to be." She laughed.

"I'm Green Arrow!" I said.

"Riiiight." She said. "Because his name is Oliver, too. That's geeky, man."

"Speak for yourself." I replied.

Juno was wearing a brown robe and a cream colored tunic, holding up a purple lightsaber. She was a Jedi knight.

"I should have known that you would be going as a Jedi. Remember that year you tried going as Princess Leia?"

"Of course. You wouldn't let me hear the end of the fact that the clips caught my hair so hard, I had to get them cut out."

"That was funny." I reasoned.

Juno smirked. "Yeah, it was. Why don't you ever go as someone else? You look more like Nathan Drake from Uncharted."

I laughed. After I showed her those games, Juno kept comparing me to him. I will admit though, that she's right.

"So what's your plan?" She said.

"Friends from the bar have a Halloween party. What about you?"

"I'm not sure. I'll probably just wing it."

"Really? You don't know what's gonna happen? I thought Jedi could predict the future."

"Haha! Actually, they meditate to find out what will happen. They don't predict."

I laughed. "You know, J. I know I only understand you like a big brother, but I know some guy will on a romantic level. When that day comes, I'll be glad I was there to see it."

* * *

I arrived at the party later that night. Robin greeted me, dressed as a Vancouver Canuck.

"Hey there, Robin!" I said.

"What's up, Hood?" She replied. All of the sudden, we both laughed at the unintended pun there.

"So who are you supposed to be?" She asked. "You don't look exactly like Robin Hood."

"I'm Green Arrow. He's in my opinion an underrated DC comics superhero. He's awesome, and the reason I've gone as him for several years is because his alter ego is also named Oliver."

"I see what you did there. Nice."

"So where's Barney? I gotta see the humiliation."

"He just called me. He'll be here soon."

All of the sudden, the fire escape was lit up by Barney coming up on a platform. He had no shirt, star spangled boxer gloves and shorts, and an Uncle Sam hat. He started pumping the crowd, chanting "USA! USA!"

I scratched my head. "I don't get it. What's so humiliating about that?"

Robin shook her head, unimpressed. "He was supposed to show up here as a Mountie. If he had done that, then I would have stopped bashing him about him being Canadian."

"Well, I guess we can start bashing him again." I said, smiling.

Robin grinned, as Barney worked his way over.

"Ok, instead of wearing the serge, like I asked you to," said Robin "you show up half naked. It's nearly November!"

"No problem. I ain't cold." Shrugged Barney.

Robin smirked. "Huh. That's interesting. It's almost like you've adapted from generations of exposure to sub-zero temperatures." She got up real close to him. "Canada."

Barney cringed. I laughed. "Hey, Mr. Canuck! I got you a Molson from the bar!" I held up a bottle of it. "That'll be a loonie and a toonie." I called over.

Barney shook like he was having a seizure. "Why are you joining in? You're not even Canadian."

"I may not be, but I've been there like it's a second home. You'd be surprised at how awesome it is."

"I just wish she'd stop!" He said, sitting down, exasperated.

"You had this coming, bro." I sat down beside him, pulling my bow off my back.

"What's with the bow? Are you Robin Hood, or something?"

"No! Why do people keep thinking that? I'm Green Arrow! There's a difference!"

"Bro, I'm looking at you, and there's no difference."

"Well for one thing, I'm not wearing the stupid hat!"

"I'll give you that. You do pull the hood off."

"Thanks. But back on what you're saying about Robin. It's simple: you make fun of Canada, and they fight back. Robin told me that time you got in a fight with some guys in a Tim Hortons in Toronto. It's like that."

"They needed the speech."

"Not really. Canada's not that different from America. Trust me, I've been there."

Robin made the fourth of the gang to connect with as a friend. It wasn't until about 2 months later that I finally connected with Lily, making me a friend of each of them. But as you might have guessed, that's another chapter for another day.


	28. Chapter 28: Red Makes Five

Chapter 28: Red Makes Five

Christmas Eve 2011

* * *

One would be surprised that Maclaren's is really quiet on Christmas Eve; In fact, it's practically the definition of "Silent Night" during this time of year. Never have i ever had a bar where I could lay back on the busiest shopping day of the year. It was a quiet afternoon with only me, Ted, Barney and Marshall drinking at the bar. We were all sitting at the booth, with it being almost deserted with the exception of Carl in the back, and a few patrons in the other booths.

"You know a good rum when you see it, Ollie." Said Ted. We were drinking a bottle that I had been saving for a while.

"Arr," I laughed. "That be the point, Captain Ted, you scurvy dog."

The others laughed at my pirate voice.

"Guys!" Said Barney. "I think we should start a classic tradition among us right here: open one present on Christmas Eve!"

"Sounds good." I said. "It's too bad I don't have any gifts on me." I had set up a small Christmas tree in my kitchen back at home, with about 8 presents under it. I guess not being with my family for so long caused things like that to happen. It hurt that I wasn't with them, especially during Christmas. But I was hanging out with Juno, so that kinda count. I mean, I said before that she and Cindy were like my sisters if I ever had one.

Barney then pulled out presents from under the table

.

"I got you guys present to open tonight!" He grinned.

Marshall opened his, two Vikings hats. One for him and one for the baby when it came.

"Thanks, Barney! I think the baby's really gonna like these."

Barney nodded. "Ted," he said. "You're a boring professor, but a professor needs one of these." He handed a small box to Ted. He opened it to find a short silver stick, about the length of a pen.

"Uh, what is it?" He asked.

Barney replied by taking it from him, and pulling it. It extended to give a great pointing stick.

"Oh! Sweet! This'll be great to use during class." Said Ted happily.

"And, it also has a laser pointer." Barney demonstrated by hitting the bottle of rum with the laser beam. It glowed a faint red.

"And for you, Ollie." He said. "We've only known you for over a year." He started talking in his "Presentation voice". He usually only used this voice when giving a fake history lesson.

"You've been working here for just over a year, but you've become a good friend of ours. You helped us destroy the Arcadian, you've helped me nail several chicks, and you've overall been a great Bro." He pulled out my present. This one wasn't wrapped. "I give you, your copy of 'The Bro Code'!"

He handed it to me as I stared in awe. Barney managed to get the Bro Code published, but that wasn't the one I was given. I was given a bigger one with a hardcover, and a ribbon bookmark. The entire book even had more articles than what was in the original published version. The front had a letter enclosed that said that the copy of the Bro Code was officially mine.

"Holy crap, Barney. This is awesome! It means so much that you think of me as a friend like this."

"Where's my copy Barney?" Asked Ted.

"Ted, it's real simple: Ollie scored me over 8 chicks, lying every time to help me. That's the most anyone I see on a regular basis has done for me in my life. As a result, this guy gets the Bro Code."

I flipped through the pages, skimming the articles. The inside looked just like the regular published version, expect the pages looked to be made of real parchment. I then noticed Article 75: a Bro automatically enhances another Bro's job description when introducing him to a chick.

"Hey, I followed this. I think I remember helping you with the free breast reduction consultations play a few months back."

"And for that, Ollie, you are now officially my Bro."

* * *

I hadn't really connected with Lily as a friend, only seeing her at the bar during certain moments. But Marshall and I connected on a lot of stuff, including the paranormal, and football. Sometimes those moments of seeing them were getting rarer and rarer with their baby coming sooner and sooner, and I realized that if I wanted to connect with them at a friendlier level, I needed to do something soon. My opportunity came a few days after Christmas.

* * *

This was yet another year not going back to Port Angeles for New Year's. But I didn't mind it. I was enjoying the time at the bar with most of the regulars, while Marshall and Lily were at the booth discussing something. Finally I heard something that made me look up like a deer in headlights.

"Look, Lily. If we go out to Long Island for New Year's Eve to unpack the baby room, we'll need movers for it. In your condition, it's a bad idea."

I walked over. "What's going on about Long Island?"

Marshall smiled. "Hi, Ollie. We're planning a move-in of our new house on Long Island for New Year's Eve."

"Do you need help?" I asked.

Marshall looked surprised "You'd do that? You'd really help us? How do I know you won't do something?" He looked suspicious.

I laughed. "If you're referencing the incident when that neighbor boy threw a party in your house while you were trapped on the roof trying to make the symphony of illumination, don't worry. I have no doubt Lily will kick my ass if I do it to you."

Lily nodded, smiling. "This guy knows me. If you want help Marshall, we got help right here." She smiled at me. "We'd love an extra set of hands."

* * *

So on New Year's Eve 2011, I headed out to Long Island in the moving truck with Marshall and Lily. We were soon driving out of Brooklyn on the way to the house.

"So tell us more about yourself, Ollie." Said Lily. The cab in the front of the truck was a bit cramped with all three of us sitting side by side.

"Not really much to tell." I replied. "I'm from Washington, which you already knew. I hunted for a living in my teens. I moved to the big city with dreams. I've always wanted to start my own bar here in New York. As Ted told you I took the Econ class he accidentally taught."

Lily and Marshall laughed. "It was his first day on the job. He was super nervous. I hope you understand that, Ollie." Said Lily.

It was silence for a few minutes before I said "Screw it." I took out my iPod, and cranked up one of my favorite songs. As it started playing, Marshall looked over at me with glee, while Lily rolled her eyes. Marshall and I were soon singing along, while mimicking a walking motion. Turns out we both listened to the same road trip song.

"And I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more/just to be the man who'd walk that 1000 miles to fall down at your door."

"You like this song too?!" He said, happily.

"Yeah! It's the best song ever!" I replied.

Marshall then told me about his old Fiero, which died out almost 5 years ago. The song 500 miles was on a tape stuck in the cassette player in the car, and wouldn't play anything but that song.

"Sounds like fun. My biggest road trip was to San Diego from Port Angeles. I played this song at least 50 times."

"Oh, good! We're here!" Said Lily. It sounded like she was happy to stop listening to the song.

We were soon pulling up to a nice little house in a suburban neighborhood.

"Wow. This looks like the perfect place to raise a baby." I said. "Even the yard looks ideal."

"Yeah, my grandparents agree. That's why they left it to us." Said Lily. "Hopefully we can get used living here."

We made our way into the living room from the front door. It was filled with a few pieces of furniture, and boxes scattered about.

"We've been unpacking for the past few weeks." Explained Marshall. "You can start helping with bringing in the boxes for the kitchen, please, Ollie. It'd be a major help."

I saluted along with him for "Major Help", and headed out to the truck. Marshall and Lily seemed like an accepting couple to me. I guess they were happy to have the help. I opened the back of the truck, and started carrying box after box marked "Kitchen" into the house.

"Ollie, can you come up here?" Called Marshall, after about 20 minutes.

I got up to see the nursery being set up, boxes all around. Marshall was talking with Lily.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Lily thinks that she shouldn't tell her dad about the baby." Said Marshall.

I didn't know anything about Lily's dad, other than him creating Slap Bet. I had finished the game night a few months ago with what looked like a red hand tattoo on my face for a few days. It was still a fun game to play on lazy Sundays.

"Why the hell not?!" I asked. It didn't make sense.

"He was never there for me, so why should he care?"

I scoffed. "Lily, my dad and I never saw eye to eye on my future. He wanted me to work on Wall Street, and we all know that that's not me. It took me a while to tell him, but I now understand that if I had the chance, I'd be telling my dad everything in my life. We'd never be not talking. Same with Barney and Jerry."

"What the hell does that have to do with my own dad?" Asked Lily.

"My point is that I heard the last you spoke to your own dad was last Slapsgiving. Don't miss out on finally having what you've wanted with your dad: a real father-daughter relationship."

Lily sighed. "Fine." She pulled out her phone and started dialing the number. "But it's not like he'll be here for me. He's in Chicago at a board game convention."

She and Marshall leaned to the phone, and I heard a faint "Hello?" from the phone.

"Hey, Dad! I got some big news: I'm pregnant!" She said.

I heard a muffled response from the phone, then Lily looked at it in a mix of fury and confusion.

"What did he say?" I asked.

"He said 'great, thanks.' and hung up!" She said, clearly beyond upset.

* * *

I felt awful. I had pushed Lily into a rejection from her own father. Looked like I could kiss that chance of friendship "adios". As I helped them unpack some of the clothes in silence, Lily idly looked over at one of the other boxes in the room.

"Honey, what's this doing in here?" She asked Marshall. She produced a book out of the box.

"Oh that? That's 'Enigmas of the Mystical'." He said. "I'm gonna read it to baby Eriksen for bedtime stories."

"No way!" I said. "My dad read that to me every night when I was a kid!"

"What is it?" Asked Lily.

"It's a book filled with stories about ghosts, Bigfoot, Nessie, you name it." I said.

Lily looked at Marshall. "You want to read a book about monsters to our infant son?"

I laughed. "Lily, my dad read it to me when I was 4, and I immediately went out into the woods to find Bigfoot. It didn't give me nightmares. In fact, I think it was what inspired me to be raised as a hunter. Although, since I never found him, I can safely assume that he doesn't like us hunters."

Marshall nodded. "And also Lily, only they can use the 'M' word to describe themselves."

Lily scoffed as she started unpacking another box of clothes for the baby.

"Hey, Marshall, I may need some help in the kitchen."

Marshall headed down the stairs with me to the kitchen, where we started unpacking the cutlery into the drawers.

"So, I heard you're going home to St. Cloud tomorrow." I said.

"Yeah. It's a Vikings game tomorrow, and tailgating was a tradition with my dad."

"The Vikes are good, but who can forget the Hawks?"

Marshall nodded. "I'll give you that. They got to the Super Bowl a few years ago, and at least you aren't a Cheesehead."

We both laughed. I had a special place of hate in my heart for the Packers. I think I got into a bar fight with a Packers fan at one of the previous bars I worked at.

I cut open another taped up box. "Are you considering a name for your son?"

Marshall smiled. "You're the 7th person to ask that. I'm hoping Lily will agree for him to be named after my father."

"Oh, that's nice. I think you'll raise him well, Marshall."

"Thanks, Ollie. I don't know if you understand this, but to have you, an almost complete stranger to Lily, to help us with the house, it means so much to us."

"No trouble at all, Marshall." I said, smiling. "Listen, I'll stay here tomorrow and help Lily with the rest of the house while you're out in St. Cloud. The least I can do is help her while you watch the game with your dad."

Marshall tried the next few hours trying to convince Lily that the enigmas were real. I heard a door slam several times upstairs while putting plates away. I checked the time to notice Marshall's flight was leaving soon. Before heading upstairs, I noticed the table in the kitchen. It looked just like a place where the five of them could have lunches out on the Island. I headed upstairs where Lily and Marshall were sitting down on the bed.

"-there's a good chance I don't exist." She said.

Marshall hugged her. "How dare you!" He sniggered.

"Marshall, it's after 9. Your flight leaves at 11:30." I said. "Better get a move on."

Marshall grinned as he grabbed his bag, down the stairs, and out the door. He had called ahead for a taxi.

"Your husband sure is something." I said.

Lily sighed. "He is one of a kind. Did your dad really believe in Bigfoot?"

"Lily, my dad raised me to believe in a lot of things. Although he confessed to me a long time ago that he thinks it's all bullshit."

Lily flinched, because she was afraid the baby would pick up bad words before he was even born. Now that seemed like crap to me.

"I know I'm only an acquaintance to you," I continued. "but hear me out in saying that the little guy should grow up knowing that there's a world full of wonders just within his reach."

"You really believe in everything?" She asked.

"God, no." I said. "There are several things that are complete crap."

"Such as?"

"Luck. There's no such thing as luck. I always say that everything happens for a reason."

"How can you explain me and Marshall meeting, then? I think that was luck."

"Simple: you were meant to meet. That was fate. My cousin taught me to believe in fate, and disregard anything that has to do with luck."

Lily just ignored me, and kept unpacking more clothes. I put together the crib for the few hours. Finally, with 15 minutes left until midnight, I went downstairs and turned on the tv. I saw someone on it that made me freak.

"No fucking way! LILY! GET DOWN HERE!" I called.

Lily was on the couch as soon as she could to see Robin herself was counting down the seconds left to New Year's. It looked like from how she felt that this was the year where things were starting to look up. 2012 was also a turning point in my life just as much.

* * *

I ended up crashing on the couch so I could continue helping Lily the next day. I woke up to a knocking at the door. As I was getting up from the couch, Lily answered it.

A bald man with a small beard and a giant teddy bear was standing there, smiling.

"Dad?!"

"Hey, princess." He said.

I walked up to the door. So that was Mickey Aldrin. The "genius" who caused me to get slapped 20 times.

"I thought you were in Chicago." Said Lily.

Mickey laughed. "Yeah, I was."

Mickey then filled us in that after he hung up, he had spent a full ten minutes running around the convention hall screaming "my daughter's having a baby!" before taking off and driving until morning.

"Hah! Well look at that!" I said. "I still stand by it, Lily: Everything happens for a reason."

Lily rolled her eyes. "You got me, Ollie."

After a tearful reunion, Lily introduced me.

"Dad, this is Ollie-"

"Mr. Aldrin, I'm a big fan of your game, Slap Bet!" I shook his hand.

"Ah, nice to meet a fan! Great to meet you! Are you a friend of my daughter?"

I paused. I didn't know if I could be considered a friend of Lily and Marshall's. I had only-

"Yes, Dad, he is." Lily smiled as Mickey gave her the teddy.

"Where's Marshall?" He asked.

"Out in St. Cloud for New Year's. He'll be back later this week." Said Lily.

Lily led Mickey into the kitchen while I started a pot of coffee.

"So you offered to help with the move?" He asked me.

"Yes, I did. I can see that Lily will need all the help she can get as the delivery date is coming up sooner and sooner."

"So what do you do, Ollie?"

"I'm a bartender at Maclaren's. Lily and the others are my best customers." I grinned at Lily.

"Ollie told us he once played Slap Bet with a few friends." Said Lily.

Mickey was soon whipping out a pen and paper. "What was it like? Can I add stuff to it?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

Mickey explained. "I find it good to get reviews from first hand sources that I don't know personally."

"Well, the game can get quite competitive. Sometimes you just try so hard to slap the people you hate, instead of trying to actually win. I left my first game with a good handprint right across my cheek. I will say don't make any changes, Mickey. It's a great game."

"Got it. No changes." He nodded.

"You in the works for anything new?" I asked.

"Not really. I'm lacking of inspiration right now."

"Well if you come up with something, you got a loyal fan standing by to beta test."

I helped Lily and Mickey with the rest of the baby room, then headed back home that evening. Next week a power outage gave Mickey the inspiration he was looking for, and I helped him create Lights Out. You can even find my name on the box in small print: "Tested by Oliver Blake." On the downside, I stepped on a nail when designing the challenges with Mickey. And as you might assume, it hurt like hell.

Lily and Marshall showed much appreciation for the help I gave them that day, and we became much closer friends as a result. With that, Lily made five.


	29. Chapter 29: Pole Vaulting

**A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. But I have good news on the next update. I'm working extra hard to bring you the next chapter as a much longer one. Titled "Revelations", this next chapter will finally answer the question "Why is Ollie estranged from his family?" Instead of making several short chapters, and having to update every few days, I'll have the whole chapter finished in a few days. And I suspect it will be the longest chapter I ever published. Hope you enjoy it. See you soon.**

* * *

Chapter 29: Pole Vaulting

-set after "No Pressure"-

* * *

I miss my family. I think about them a lot, but I never seemed to have the stones to call them and say how sorry I was for leaving. Lucy I miss the most. My relationship with her when we were younger made me wonder if I really would be the type for kids. I've thought about it many times before, and I know I'd be great. But I've never found the right girl yet. I guess I could join the club with Ted.

* * *

Robin and I gave each other advice on certain situations as we became closer friends since Halloween. I always seemed to know what to say to help her in her situations, but that night she came into the bar with something so sad, that I wasn't really sure how to respond to.

"Kevin and I broke up." She sniffed. She had clearly been crying.

"What? Oh, that sucks. I'm so sorry-" She didn't know about my therapy sessions with him, so now I knew they'd be awkward. Very, very awkward.

"Not finished." Robin interrupted. "Afterwards, Ted claimed he loved me, so I moved out. It was Marshall advice. He knew how Ted felt about my rejection."

"What? Ok, that sounds awkward-"

"Still not finished." Robin interrupted again. "To top it off, I found out I can't...be a pole vaulter." It looked like she was about to say something else.

"A pole vaulter?" I said, confused.

"Yeah. Pole vaulting is the rage up in Canada. I found out I can't be a pole vaulter for Canada in the Olympics."

I thought for a second that Robin was telling me the full story. I really believed her story. Until I saw it in her eyes.

"Don't bullshit me, Robin. I know you better than that. Don't think of me as an idiot."

"Excuse me?"

"Excuse you. You're my friend, and I have this thing where I can tell when my friends are hiding something. Plus, it's *hockey* that's the rage up there. I know this because I've been there before. So what's this really about? It's not pole vaulting that's got you in a rut. What is it?"

Robin looked around the bar. "Can you promise not to tell anyone? Only a few other people know."

I crossed my heart.

Robin took a deep breath, and then laid it out to me. "I can't have kids."

I felt like I got smacked in the face with a bat. "What? For real?"

Robin nodded.

I was still confused. "Well, isn't that good? You said you never wanted kids. So it would-"

"Ollie, get it into your head!" Snapped Robin. "Yes I didn't want kids. But now that I can't have any, now I feel cheated. I didn't know what I wanted until I couldn't have it." She started to tear up, then looked hard at me. "You aren't telling anyone I said those things to you, or I that cried in front of you."

I shook my head, raising my hands. "You know I won't."

I poured two glasses of scotch and gave one to Robin.

"You know, I feel a similar way." I said.

"No you don't." Said Robin, angrily.

"No, seriously. I went to the city hoping one day, I'd own my own bar. I've been in New York for over 10 years, and nothing's happened. The only thing that's changed is what bars I've worked at."

"Let's toast to that." Said Robin. "To all that shit we went through, and endured."

"So what now? Where are you living now?"

"I got a co-worker who invited me to stay with her for a while until I get back up on my feet."

"Sounds about right. Listen, Robin. If you feel at all angry, or lonely, don't hesitate to talk to me here. I got the best ears around, ready to hear as much bitching as possible."

"I somewhat doubt that you could handle it, after all I've been through."

"Robin, I know what you've gone through. In my own way I've been dragged through hell, years ago. 2003 was my shit year. I'll never forget what happened, because it was traumatic for me. Now I wish that things had gone differently, but I know that'll never happen."

"What happened?" Asked Robin.

I paused. There it was. That stupid question. But I then understood what I had to do: There was no more running away from my problems. No more hiding. I had to admit what happened. "I think it's time I told someone what happened to me almost 9 years ago."

"All right." Robin sat up, ready to listen.

"As you know, I come from Port Angeles. My family and I ran a hunting business. I was known around the town as 'Oliver the Archer' or the 'Real Green Arrow'. I was close to my family, but no one was nearly as close to me as my cousin, Lucy. She and I were like peas and carrots as Forrest Gump might say. Before I left for New York, she told me to pursue my dreams instead of work on Wall Street. Because we both know I'm not the person for that kind of thing. But my dad wanted me to do it, so I had no choice."

"Boy, do I know how that feels." Said Robin.

"I know you do. But I trained in secret to become a bartender instead of becoming a corporate prick. But everything changed as June 2003 began..."


	30. Chapter 30: Revelations

**A/N: The structure of this chapter may be confusing, but I've tried to make it as simple as possible. This is the chapter I've worked the hardest to bring you.**

* * *

Chapter 30: Revelations

June 24st 2012

I walked up the dry, dirt road through the gates. "Evergreen Cemetary" it read on it's archway. I clutched the package in my hand tightly. I hadn't been here in so long. My past had come back to haunt me. But I knew that I needed to do this. I had to see it again.

I looked out across the field of stones, then seeing one that stood out among them. It wasn't that it looked different. I just knew it was the right one. I walked up slowly to it.

"Hey." I said once I was in front of it. "I know it's been a while. I just needed someone to talk to."

The grave stood still. I guess I was hoping it would talk back to me, and everything would be back the way it used to be. But it was a feeble thought.

"I know I have a chance to resolve things with them, but after you passed away, things changed. He needed to know what I was going to do. Of course, I'm hoping you know that already. Then came the fallout after my revelation. He wasn't happy as you would expect. Things escalated, and well...you know the rest already."

I set the package down in front of the grave.

"This isn't flowers. This is my version of respect. I have a few items I brought from New York that I knew you would like. They're all in there. I hope you'll like them." I then pulled out one last thing from my pocket.

"Remember this?" I said. I dropped a small pendant on the ground. A silver arrowhead on a chain.

As I got up from my knees, I looked down to notice something. A ziplock bag wedged in between the headstone and the ground. I pulled it out. There was an envelope on the inside with my old name on it: "Oliver".

* * *

I ripped the bag, and the envelope open, and started reading. This is what the letter read:

July 21st 2003,

Dear Oliver,

It's been almost a month since what happened at the hunting ground. Right now I'm writing with the family at the table. I regret everything of what happened that day. I almost did something that I would regret for the rest of my life. Strike that: I *am* regretting it already. I acted in a fit of rage on some thought that I had control of your life. It nearly cost me your life.

You were right, Oliver. I was trying to force you to make this family rich because of mistakes me and my father did. It should have been me going to New York to make the millions, not you. Then I wouldn't have had to raise you killing animals for money. I wanted to live rich, and was basically being a gold digger to your life. I have made many mistakes in my life, and Uncle Alex is saying now that he too had made mistakes when he was raising Lucy. We all feel responsible about what happened, and I feel nothing but regret. It was my fault that you ran away.

It may be a long time before this letter reaches you. I wouldn't be surprised that you'd rip it in half if I sent it in the mail. I knew you well enough that I planted it here. Please know that you have a family that wants you to come home when you find this letter. I don't know when you'll find it, but I know you will eventually; You've always been nostalgic.

I said that bartending is a waste of your life. That was the most false sentence I've ever said in my life. Lucy told me that you should have been raised into doing something that you were meant to instead of becoming a Wall Street suit. You'll make me proud every day of my life from here on when you go on to start your own pub. When that day comes, the first round's on me.

Come home soon, Dad.

* * *

I read it. I re-read it. I read it over and over again. I could read it, but not process it. I wanted nothing more than to come back to my family. To return to them. And now I could. I had had my chance for almost 10 years.

"What do you think I should do?" I said.

Of course, the gravestone didn't answer, but I was hoping for one anyways.

"I want to go back to them, but it's been so long. I don't even look the same as I did so long ago. I'm not the same person I was in 2003."

"I need to confess something." I said to the gravestone. "It was at that Christmas so long ago: I set the whole thing up in the woods. I wanted you to see something awesome. Might be heartbreaking to hear that, but that's what happened. I'm sorry if I let you down, Lucy. You deserved to live longer than 13 years."

I looked back at the gravestone, reading the engraving on it: "Lucille Laurel Blake. 1989-2003. A loving girl who's fire was dimmed too early."

I thought back to my admission of what happened in these last four months that took me back home.

* * *

March 2012

"Whoa..." Said Kevin. "Your cousin passed away? That's what happened?"

"Not just that." I admitted. "There was more that happened after the funeral. I made the choice to stay behind to take care of my family after what happened. It mattered to me that someone was making sure they were alright."

"Good for you, Ollie." Kevin suddenly chuckled. "So is that why you insist on being called that? To honor Lucy's memory?"

"Yes." I said. "She was the good influence I had that made me who I am. I'm here in New York, doing what I love, because she told me to do that instead of working on Wall Street."

"But there's more to this story." Said Kevin. "What happened afterwards?"

"I need to bring you back a bit to explain the full story."

* * *

May 26th 2003

"All righ', Oliver. I want you to use the skills I taught you, and make a new drink."

This was another training session with David. I had been under his eye for more than 2 years to this day. Soon afterwards, I would turn 21, and I would be a fully licensed bartender. There was only one month left to go.

I looked around the bottles to find something to try. I had been taught almost everything that they regularly serve in bars. Now I had to try to think of my own to make.

I went over to the fridge to see what David had stocked up in terms of sodas. The beverage gun at his place had been broken long ago, and never would work again. I'd have to open a can and figure it out myself.

The fridge had a lot of various sodas. The first soda that would pop into your head was most likely in there. I then set my sights on a can of Mountain Dew Voltage. I grabbed that, and poured it into a glass. I had a base drink. Now I needed a few mixers. First thing I grabbed was rum. Next thing I knew I was on autopilot. I could see what needed to be put into the drink, and kept carefully putting in little portions of each into the glass. Finally, I got a drink of a deep sapphire blue.

"Blimey there, Oliver. Looks like you threw a Blue Man into a blender and poured the result into a glass. I can't wait to try it out. But what's it called?"

I then thought back to a Russian class I took in high school, thinking that this drink would be like getting zapped with flavor. "The Molniya" I said.

Just as David grabbed the glass, my phone rang. I didn't know it at the time, but this was the moment where things went south for me that year. Way south.

"Oliver! You there?" It was my dad.

"Y-yeah." I was confused. My dad sounded worried. "What's going on?"

"You need to get on the next flight back home. We need you here."

"What's happening?"

"It's Lucy." Said Dad. "She passed out an hour ago. We don't know what's going on, but she's being taken to the hospital."

I did: my fears were coming true. "Hold on, Dad. I'll be there as soon as I can." I hung up.

"David, I can't stay here." I said. "I need to head back home. Now."

"No, wait!" Said David. "Wait! Stop! We still have more training! I'm graduating you in less than a month!" I started up the stairs. "Oliver! Oliver! Wait! Oliver!" I didn't reply. I just ran up the stairs as fast as I could.

* * *

Next thing I knew, I was at my apartment, packing a bag. If what I thought was going on was really happening, then I expected to be back home for a while. I couldn't stay in New York while whatever was going on was happening to Lucy. It wasn't that I felt guilty with how we got along. It was just that we were cousins, but we might as well have been siblings. We were so close, she was like my sister, and I couldn't let her down by not being there for her.

An hour later I was on a last minute flight to Seattle. I looked out at the clouds, trying to wrap my head around what was going on.

* * *

June 7th 1989

When I was 6, I had heard the news from Uncle Alex: he and Auntie Terri were expecting a baby. They were also expecting it to come not too long before my own birthday. I'd have a brand new cousin for my 7th birthday, my parents told me. I thought of it as a good joke. I knew you couldn't give people as gifts.

After my day at school on the 7th, my mom took me to the hospital instead of home. I asked many times why, but she just smiled and said "wait and see".

I walked into the room we were being directed into. My grandparents were already there, and they looked thrilled for some reason. After they went in, the doctor walked over, and kneeled down so we were at the same eye level.

"Do you want to see her, son?" He asked me.

"I don't know what you mean." I said. I was really oblivious to what was happening.

My mom laughed.

"Yes, Dr. He would very much like to see her." She gave me a nudge from behind. "Go on, Oliver. Say hello to her."

I walked in, seeing Auntie Terri. She was holding a bundle in her arms with Uncle Alex sitting beside her. They were both practically glowing with happiness. I looked at the bundle to see a small face. That was the first time I laid eyes on Lucy. I'll never forget it.

* * *

"Ladies and Gentleman, we are beginning our decent into Seattle. Please turn all electronic devices off, and make sure all seats and trays are in the upright position. From all of us, we hope you have a pleasant day."

After the plane landed, I headed out to the luggage area. I grabbed my bag, and hailed a taxi.

"Hey! Where to?" He asked.

"Port Angeles, man. And step on it."

* * *

It's funny. You feel like after not being around you home for so long, you'd expect to forget everything. But there was that part of me that knew where everything was as the taxi drove up the familiar road. It was a long drive from Seattle, but I found myself walking up the driveway. I felt like a ghost walking up to the door.

My mom answered the door. She was very excited to see me, but upset over what had happened. We sat down in the living room.

"What's happened?" I asked. It hadn't been since yesterday that I had heard from Dad.

"Lucy's not feeling well. The doctor's have been running tests, but we fear it's the cancer. We think it may have come back."

* * *

March 2012

"And indeed it did." I said. "Lucy was feeling even worse than before when she had it last."

Lily and Marshall bowed their heads. "So you knew what I was going through. When my dad died?" Said Marshall.

"Marshall, I saw a reflection of myself when you were mourning your dad's death. I think it's what made me realize that we were meant to be friends. It's why I think all my friends need to know what happened. Because I've been hiding from my past for so long. It's time for me to look forwards, and forget the bruises and scars."

* * *

I walked into Lucy's hospital room. She looked really tired, but had grown a lot in the past few years.

"Hey, cuz." I said. She smiled as she looked up at me.

"Ollie." She sighed. "You're here."

"Of course I am." I said. "I'd be here for you in a heartbeat."

"It hurts a lot." She said.

"I can imagine." I replied. "But I'll be here for you as long as you need me."

"Thanks, Ollie." She smiled. "I think I'll need you for a while."

"School's just finishing up for you, huh?" I asked.

"Yeah. Entering my grad year of middle school. I'm looking forward to it."

"You're gonna be all right, Lucy. You'll be okay." I said.

* * *

July 1991

Lucy had turned 2 years old less than a month ago, and Mom and Dad suggested that Uncle Alex and Aunt Terri bring her to visit that week. I didn't see much of her, so I really didn't know what to think of her. She seemed all right, but that was only my first thoughts on her.

Uncle Alex and Aunt Terri brought her walking up the front steps. She was just learning to walk, and tripped twice on the way up to the door. She didn't smile, nor scream at the sight of me. She only stared. I didn't understand then, but it was her way of saying "hello" when she was at that age. Auntie Terri then picked her up, and carried her up to the door.

"She's been excited to meet you, Oliver." She said.

"I can tell." I replied.

She then kneeled down so I could talk to her.

"This is your cousin, Oliver. Lucy, can you say 'Oliver'?" She grinned. "O-li-ver." She said slower. She said it over and over to get Lucy to repeat her.

It made sense that she was trying to get her to talk. So far Lucy had said 6 different words. "Mommy" was number 4, and "Daddy" was number 6. Auntie Terri was trying hard to get Lucy to say more words.

"What was her first word?" I asked.

"Yes." Said Auntie Terri. "Her first word was 'yes'. Say 'O-li-ver', Lucy."

Then I heard something. It was like hearing a bird sing for the first time.

"Ol-lie." She said.

I laughed. "Not quite, cuz. Got another syllable to add in."

* * *

March 2012

"She never dropped that nickname for me." I said. "She always called me Ollie. And now I'll never answer as Oliver."

Ted nodded. "You had a good friendship with each other. Maybe you feel a bit guilty you didn't like that nickname?"

"You're right, Ted. I hold onto the nickname because of guilt. Guilt that I didn't appreciate her enough as my cousin."

* * *

June 5th 2003

I had been in Port Angeles for almost 2 weeks, staying by Lucy's side in almost every waking hour. We were in the middle of a game of Chess when she brought up something out of the blue.

"You're 21 in a few weeks."

I looked up from the board. "Uh, yeah." It surprised me that with everything that was happening, she brought up something that had to do with me. "What's you're point?" I asked.

"That means you'll be able to run a bar. Are you licensed yet?"

"No." I admitted. "I ran out on my teacher when I got the news about you. I'm gonna miss out on a few classes. Do you have any idea what the test results are?" I tried to direct the conversation away from me.

"No idea." Shrugged Lucy. "But have you told your parents your plans?" Looks like she was trying the same thing as me.

"No, Lucy. I haven't. Dad expects me to be a corporate asshole working on Wall Street, but I've barely taken off my green hoodie ever since you gave it to me a few years ago. I can't move from that to a suit. I just don't know how to break the news to him."

"You'll find a way. You always do." She grinned, then pushed her Queen forward into a square. "Checkmate, city boy."

"Damn it." We had a slap bet over this game, and now I had to let Lucy slap me. She reached back far, and let it go, nailing me in the face.

"Ouch!" I groaned. It's what I got for telling her about a slap bet.

* * *

The next day I was at the local mall, trying to find what to get Lucy for her birthday. What to get a 13 year old cancer patient, I kept asking myself. I just wish I had a friend who knew this stuff for me so I could ask them for advice.

I wandered around the mall like a ghost haunting a house, until I stopped at a small jewelry cart. The guy had an assortment of random items in different stones. I saw among them a small silver arrowhead on a chain.

"Ah!" Said the vendor. "That is silver plated. A real bargain. I'll give it to you for a hundred." He had noticed me examining it.

"Done." I replied. "And can you gift wrap it? Thanks."

* * *

March 2012

"Did she ever get it?" Asked Kevin. "The pendant?"

"Yeah, she did. And she enjoyed it for a good while."

"I don't understand, Ollie." He said. "You said Lucy passed away, but you haven't even gotten to that point in the story. What happened?"

I paused. "Have you ever been shot before, Kevin?"

He looked confused. "Uh, like vaccinations?"

"No. I mean with a gun."

"No." He replied. "Uh, no I haven't."

"Then I think it best for you to stop talking and allow me to continue the story."

* * *

June 10th 2003

In my life, I hadn't been to a hospital as a patient before this. I never knew what it felt like to be the center of attention because of an illness or injury. All I could tell was that it was a shameful experience, to know that your family was paying good money only to ensure you stay healthy. The whole family sat beside Lucy as the doctor went through the medical mumbo jumbo that I couldn't understand. Clearly Lucy didn't either.

"So what exactly does this mean for me?" She asked. She was wearing the arrowhead, and clutching it in her hand. Luckily it was dulled so that she wouldn't cut herself.

"It means that the tumor needs to be removed with an operation. It'll be simple, and we'll have the very best in Washington state hands on to make sure that this procedure will go exactly as planned. We'll have this planned for the following week."

* * *

March 2012

"Did she go out with honor?" Asked Barney.

"I don't know." I replied. "I wasn't there."

* * *

June 17th 2003

I sat by Lucy's bed, waiting for her to wake up. Dawn on the day of her surgery. I just hoped that after this it would be it.

"Hey, Ollie."

I looked over as Lucy sat up in bed.

"You ready for this? Finally be rid of the cancer?"

Lucy then said the word I was shocked to hear from anyone who would be asked that question. Especially her: "I don't know."

"What? What do you mean you don't know?"

"Ollie, I lived my life as best I could. It was a short one, but I know this for sure: I'm ready to die. If I live through this, I'll be grateful for a second chance. But I can almost tell that that's not the case. I'm almost certain that I'm not going to make it. Hey, it's okay."

I was starting to cry. But not in sadness. In disbelief.

"Are you saying you want to die?!" I asked.

Lucy smiled. "No, nothing like that, Ollie. If I don't make it today, I won't be sad, because I grew up alongside someone like you. But if I do make it, I'll be just as glad for getting another chance."

I started sobbing. I've not really been one to cry often. Usually I'm the one who offers the shoulder to a friend. Lucy really was mature beyond her years. She understood what it meant to die, and was ready for it if it came.

* * *

March 2012

"Did you have a good last words with her?" Asked Marshall. "A real heartfelt last words?"

I smiled. "That's one of the things I saw as an upside to her passing. I can remember that my last words with her meant everything."

* * *

"Don't forget to listen to what I told you, Ollie."

"About what?" I asked.

"Stay away from Wall Street. We both know that you're not meant for it. You should live in New York doing what you love to do. Not what you think you have to do. If you love what you're doing, then you've honored my memory."

I kissed Lucy's forehead. "I will. I swear I will live my life to the fullest. I just know how lucky I am to have known you."

Then she laughed. It wasn't a cackle, nor a chuckle. Just a laugh I never heard her laugh before.

"Ollie, don't take this the wrong way. Luck is bullshit. There is no such thing as it. No, y'see, I believe that everything happens for a reason."

I looked at her. "Really? You believe in something as complex as that?"

She shook her head. "It's not complex. It's the simplest thing in the world. We were meant to meet in our lives. I know it was because you were a great influence on me, Ollie. I want to grow up to be like you. Following my goals and doing what I love is what I want to do. You taught me that."

I laughed. "I only did it because you told me to go find what I wanted to do."

"It's too bad we can't share a drink. That was one of the things I really wanted to do when I was grown up."

"You're gonna make it, Lucy." I said. "I know you will. You're gonna grow up, find a nice guy, settle down with a family, and die a ripe age."

Lucy smiled. "I sure hope you're right. Either way, something's gonna happen today."

* * *

I spent the hour talking with Lucy. Just a regular chat. It's hard to think if what to say when you don't know if this'll be your last conversation or not. Eventually it came time for me to leave so they could take Lucy to the operating room.

"I'll see you soon." She gave me a big hug. "Goodbye, Ollie."

"Bye, Lucy. You're gonna be fine."

She gave me a big smile. It was what I loved Lucy the most about. She always had this smile that could brighten anyone else's day. Her positive attitude to almost anything was what made her so amazing.

* * *

A while later I was sitting in the waiting room, with the family. Lucy had been taken into the operating room about an hour ago. Now all we had to do was wait. I kept looking at the clock, and clicking my tongue. It felt like a million hours had passed before we got some notion of what was going on. The doctor performing the surgery came in. He had a blank canvas for a face. He was saying something to us, shaking his head sadly while doing it, but I couldn't hear. It was like someone had hit a mute button. I didn't hear what he said, but I knew what it was. All I remember next was running. I ran down the halls, and out to the streets. I could feel a pain flare up in my chest, and I still kept running. My feet started to hurt and I still kept running. Because no matter how much it hurt on my feet and chest, nothing hurt as much as the news I had received. It didn't matter that Lucy was ready; I wasn't ready.

* * *

February 2012

Robin stared at me. After admitting it to her, we stood in silence. The bar had been closed almost 15 minutes ago, but I was still telling my story, and Robin wanted to hear it. I had just admitted my biggest secret to someone for the first time in years. No one who knew me in New York knew this.

"I never thought two cousins could be so close." Said Robin. "And you were like the opposite of me when I was that age. I hated kids younger than me."

"I know." I replied. "It was the hardest thing I ever went through. I blamed the hospital for so long on their carelessness. If they had only been more careful, Lucy might still be alive. But I ultimately realized that that may not have been the case."

"But that seems like no reason to shut yourself off from your family. If anything, it would make you come closer together."

"Yeah, you'd think so. But there's still more to the story."

* * *

June 21st 2003

It's one of the largest defining moments in a person'a life when the relative they were closest to passes away. I felt I had failed Lucy, and did the last thing she would've wanted me to do: I spent my day sitting on the porch drinking directly from a bottle of whiskey. I was really wasted by noon that morning.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

I looked up with a lot of effort to see my dad, huffing and puffing. It was hard to see him through my harshly impaired vision.

"Oh, just having a lil' drink." I slurred.

"Your cousin just passed away, and your solution is to sit on your ass while we try to fix this?! Gimme that!" He snatched the bottle out of my hands. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Oliver. This is no time to be wasted."

"Fuck you." I muttered. Really I just said it because I was that drunk.

Dad looked at me with disgust, and then walked back in leaving me to pass out on the porch.

* * *

I woke up to see the sun setting over the water. I had slept through most of the day, and had missed out on trying to help with the arrangements.

I walked into the house to see Auntie Terri sitting on the couch, bawling. I sat down beside her. It's hard to think of what to say to someone when their kid dies. Even if it's a relative.

"Why did you jump straight to drinking?" She snapped as I sat down.

"I don't know." I admitted. "I'm in the legal age, and it seems like the best timing I can think of at the moment."

* * *

March 2012

"Ollie! I've had over 7 patients who resorted to drinking to solve their problems. I hope this session ends without an admission you now are in AA, because I'd rather not make it 8."

"No." I said. "I had a drinking problem for a while. It was a dark time for me. I thought things would get better. But they didn't for a few months. I was just hoping that some part of me would forget what happened and move on, and I thought drinking would be the cheapest way to do it."

"Lots of people would agree with that theory, Ollie. But it's false. It's only time that can heal the wounds. How long did it take you to really move on from Lucy's passing?"

"All honesty, about a year and a half. By then I had made two new friends who I now am as close to them as I was with Lucy."

"Yeah, you mentioned Cindy a few sessions ago. But who's the other one?"

"Juno. You of all people should know who's paying you for this."

"Let's get back to June. So this kicked off that 'bad week' you had. I assume the funeral was part of it?"

"Yeah. It wasn't pretty."

* * *

June 24th 2003

Lucy's funeral and burial was that day. I don't like to think back to what happened because it was to hard to say goodbye. But there was more. My family looked at me with such hate after they saw me raving like an idiot after the service, more drunk than Ted on that night so long ago. I don't remember, but I could tell that whatever I did was embarrassing for them. To see the son they raised so well jump to alcohol to solve my problems. I don't know what I said about Lucy, but I can only hope that none of it was bad to her.

It was late that night, and I was yet again in a bottle, sitting beside Lucy's grave. It would be 9 years before I'd see it again. My eyes were red from all the crying and drinking. My family were getting really spiteful towards me ever since the funeral. There was the service, then the burial. Afterwards I ran off to the closest store, and then back to the grave.

"I failed you." I sobbed. "You had your faith that I'd tell them the truth. And I failed you."

A bright beam of light then pointed at me. I strained me eyes, and covered them. They looked like headlights.

"Not now! Leave me alone!" I groaned. I heard a car door open and close, then footsteps.

"It's just me." Said a voice. It was Uncle Alex.

"Oh! You come to snark at me?! Huh?!" I yelled.

"No. I was hoping you'd still have some." His fuzzy shape pointed at the bottle in my hand.

I handed it to him as he sat down.

"You know, she wanted you to have this." He thrust a shiny silvery object into my hand. Feeling the point at it's edge, I slid it into my pocket as I looked over at Uncle Alex. His eyes were red too, but it wasn't from drinking. He barely had had one that day.

"I thought she'd be starting high school soon. She'd have a real life, and instead she was killed because of some careless doctors. They couldn't save her because they didn't really try."

We spent the night passing the bottle back and forth. I remember waking up the next morning to a bucket of water in my face.

"God! Fuck!" I yelled as I stood up. The pounding hangover hammer on my head then knocked me down again.

"Hello, uh, listen. I don't run a gutter for drunks to sleep in." Said an unfamiliar voice. "I take care of a cemetery. Get your asses up!"

He pulled me and Uncle Alex up from the ground and got us into Alex's car. I knew Uncle Alex didn't have as much to drink as I did, so I doubt his head felt like it was getting stabbed with an ice pick several times.

* * *

March 2012

"Jeez, Ollie." Said Barney. "This sounds like rock bottom for someone's life."

"Nope. It gets worse." I replied. "As you can imagine, after catching me drunk that first time on the porch, my folks weren't too happy it was a second time I was found passed out in the gutter, let alone it being right beside Lucy's grave. They couldn't seem to wrap their head around that what I was doing wasn't legally wrong. They looked at me and only saw their son. Maybe they saw me as younger than 21 and just a teen trying to scam drinks."

"But that wasn't true." Said Barney. "You told me your birthday was June 17th." Barney then looked at me with the most shocked expression as he realized another factor of my guilt. "Your birthday was the day of Lucy's passing! You feel guilty that you celebrated your birthday the day she lost hers."

"Fate brings the greatest rewards in our lives, Barnacle." I said. "But it also brings us the cruelest punishments."

* * *

June 25th 2003

"Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is?!"

"Yeah. And it doesn't help with your bullshit!" I replied.

"Watch it, Oliver! That's your mother."

This was the result of a phone call from the cemetery's groundskeeper, and me arriving home after the call.

"Never have I seen such stupidity from a Blake!" Said Dad. "A relative's passing is no excuse to go straight to drinking."

"No, but it's a temporary solution from all the bullshit I've been shoved into." I replied. "I don't know if you've gotten it into your thick skull, Dad, but Lucy's death's taken a large toll on me. She was the closest person I had here in Washington. I didn't make much friends here, and never found a nice girl in high school to talk to. Lucy was the one person who was mature and wise enough to understand me. And now I can't talk to her anymore."

"Be that as it may." Said Dad, sternly. "Your solution for her passing isn't going to be drowning yourself in liquor. You should be talking to a therapist. You should talk to one of us."

"Fuck that." I replied. "You guys don't understand it. You'll never understand it." I stormed out for a walk.

I had been letting them down more and more in the past week. And I had news to break to them. Dad would be really upset to know that I'd be turning my back on Wall Street, instead turning people into screaming idiots on weekend nights. I dreaded that moment when it came.

* * *

March 2012

"You told them, right?" Asked Marshall. "I told my dad everything going on in my life. Please tell me that you told them."

"I did indeed, Marshall."

"But they weren't too happy, were they?" Asked Lily.

I felt my side with the back of my hand. "Something like that."

* * *

June 26th 2003

The next day I was on the beach, looking out across the water. Victoria was a ferry ride away from there. Nice place to visit every once in a while.

"Are you willing to talk, Oliver?"

Dad sat down beside me. He didn't look at me, or acknowledge me further than that question.

"Fine. But I want to have a bit of slack after what I've gone through this month."

"You're right, Oliver. Lucy's death touched us all, but we know it hurt you a lot in particular. Now that we've had some time to cool off, I think we can find a sort of solution for this. It's not ideal, but how's about you and I go for a hunt?"

"I don't know, Dad..." I sighed.

"I found it a great way to take my mind off things when I was younger. I just hope that we can have you go back to New York with some kind of good out of this."

I thought about it. I hadn't picked up my bow in a long time. And it really would be some way of taking my mind off things.

"Okay. We can do it tomorrow." I said.

* * *

March 2012

"This came the other part of June that really changed my life." I said.

"I am interested in what happened." Said Kevin. "Is this what you've been leading up to?"

"Yes it is, Kevin." I said. "I think this'll be one of the hardest things to talk about. But I think it's time for admission."

* * *

June 27th 2003

"We're here." Said Dad. We had just arrived at the hunting grounds. The last time I was here was when I dressed up like a Sasquatch to surprise Lucy. I slapped myself in the face.

"Stop it, Oliver." I said to myself. "You're here to forget about that for now."

I opened the back of the truck and handed Dad his hunting rifle. I pulled up my hunting hoodie and slung my bow over my shoulder. Lucy gave me that hoodie a few Christmases ago. She was in remission. Now things were a lot worse.

"You're not supposed to be thinking about that. Focus on the hunting."

"How about you follow me, and we'll see what we can find."

"Hm?" I said. I wasn't paying attention.

"We'll go together and see what we can't hunt down together." He said again.

"Sounds fair."

We hiked through the woods in silence, carefully examining the ground for tracks. Eventually I found a set of deer tracks. They were recent, so the deer had to be close by.

"Let's circle around." Said Dad.

We crouched down in the bushes, looking left and right for the deer. I wondered how I got from making drinks to back here in less than a month.

"Shh!" Said Dad. "There it is!" He pointed across the clearing to the doe eating a few flowers.

"Care to do the honors, son?"

I pulled an arrow out and nocked it. I pulled back on the bowstring, and set the deer in my sights.

"You shoot it, and I'll never forgive you for it." Said a familiar voice. I thought I saw the outline of a girl in the trees. That was Lucy's voice.

* * *

March 2012

"See, most might refer to that being schizophrenia. But you don't seem like the guy from A Beautiful Mind." Said Kevin.

"Glad you see it my way. I believe in ghosts, so I can only assume that I saw Lucy's ghost, if that really was something."

"Was it possible that it really was her, and she was alive?"

"Absolutely not." I replied, a little harshly. "I thought I already told you that she had been buried."

Kevin raised his hands. "Alright. Let's move on."

I tried to continue, but the pain in my side came back. "I-I can't." I said. "I don't think I can finish telling this story."

"Ollie, you're doing great. So far all I see is someone who went through a hard time in their life, and has no mental problems or conditions whatsoever. You're brave enough to go through with this. Please finish telling me this for Juno and Cindy."

I breathed a few times. "Alright."

* * *

The doe had been in my sights for the last few seconds, and my string had been pulled back, ready to release.

"What are you waiting for?" Asked Dad.

I was ready to let the arrow fly, but something kept stopping me. Even without Lucy's influence, it felt wrong to shoot this deer. It had a life just like mine. And it didn't seem fair for me to take it's life for my own personal entertainment.

"Son, stop dawdling, and shoot the damn deer." Growled Dad.

I kept hesitating, when suddenly Dad jumped out, pulled his rifle out, and shot the deer right in the head.

"No!" I screamed. I ran over, but it was no use. The doe was dead before it hit the ground.

"What was that?!" Asked Dad. "Son, you've done this before! What made that deer any different?!"

"Because I now realize that everything I've shot had a life, Dad! And I now feel guilt for killing them."

"Oh, that's pathetic!" Said Dad.

"No, Dad! It isn't. You taught me to respect life."

"Well, now your logic sounds like nothing but bullshit. Just as much as Bigfoot."

This was the first I had ever heard Dad say something like this about urban legends. He raised me to believe in them, and now it turned out he didn't believe in them himself.

"How could you say that, Dad?! You raised me believing in Sasquatch."

"Truth be told, I thought it was stupid to dress up like a Sasquatch. You would only scare Lucy, was what I thought. But you ended up making her happy. That was the only good I thought could come out of Bigfoot. But nothing like that is real! It's all complete crap!"

"I'm not doing this anymore, Dad." I threw down my bow.

"You don't get to say that to me after the embarrassment you've put us through for the last week. I've heard neighbors talking about the drunken idiot at the service that just happens to be my stupid son. I'm going to have to live through the embarrassment you brought on me for god knows how long."

"Lucy was right." I groaned. "I can't put this off anymore."

"What?" Snapped Dad. "What can't you put off?"

"I hate Wall Street!" I cried. "I don't care what you say, Dad. Fuck the corporate world, because Oliver Blake is not meant for it! I'm not going to dress up in a suit everyday for work because of mistakes you and Grandpa made in the past. They're not my messes to clean up. Lucy told me to do what I wanted to do, and that's what I'm gonna do! I'm gonna get my bartending license, and start my own bar in New York!"

Dad looked at me, with twitching eyes, and his fists balled up.

"You're telling me..." He strained to say something. I had never seen him so angry. "That after a week of being a drunken idiot in our household, you are going to be paid to do it for a living?! THAT'S A HUGE FUCKING WASTE OF YOUR LIFE! YOU'RE A DISGRACE TO OUR FAMILY! THE NAME BLAKE WILL REMAIN UNKNOWN BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T DO WHAT YOU WERE MEANT FOR!"

And all of the sudden, I realized it. I realized why it meant so much to my Dad that I make millions trading stocks. I laughed. "I finally get it now!" I laughed again.

My Dad looked at me, scarlet in the face. "What do you mean? Choose your next words carefully, buddy. Or there will be hell to pay."

"You're a gold digger. You expect that because Grandpa lost millions in the stock market, that you should be rolling in dough. And it's somehow my job to fix that. Well, I'm here to tell you that that's not gonna happen, you selfish, controlling, arrogant bastard. It's not my job to clean up your-"

* * *

I often wonder what would've happened if I could've finished my sentence. Maybe things would've turned out differently for us. Maybe Dad would've accepted my choices, and understood that it was my life, not his to have. Maybe I would've still talked to my family. But all I can remember was feeling an extreme force and a searing pain on my left side. The force spun me around, and I fell to the ground. I had also heard a loud bang to go with it, and as I laid down on the ground, I heard a scream, and my Dad rush over to me, saying over and over under his breath "What have I done? What have I done?"

* * *

March 2012

Kevin just stared at me in awe. I remained sitting in silence. It was quiet for a few minutes.

Finally, Kevin spoke up. "Uh, is-is this story over? Or is there more?"

"There's more." I replied.

* * *

The next thing I remember was waking up in a small hospital room.

"You're awake! Good!" Said the person standing in front of me. "I'm Dr. Wayne. And you're" He consulted his clipboard. "Oliver Blake."

"What happened? Agh!" I gasped. My side was on fire.

"Uh, it says here that your side was pierced by a hunting rifle's bullet. It went through clean, and didn't hit any major arteries, but we did have to stitch you up a bit, and there will be a scar there."

"Any details on who shot me?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.

"Uh, no." Said the doctor, even after consulting his notes. "Your father called in a ambulance, and he just said you were shot."

I wanted to report what happened, but in that moment it just felt pointless. What I did ask from the doctor was a few favors.

"I'd like to have you call my family. They are to pack my belongings I took home from New York into my duffle bag, and give me the money for my flight home. They aren't to speak to me, or see me. Understood?"

"Uh, yes. But why don't you do it?" Asked the doctor.

"Don't ask questions, please." I replied. "I assume you're gonna keep me here for a while to make sure I'm still stable, so I need someone to get my stuff."

"Um, okay. I'll get right on it." He left without another word.

* * *

March 2012

"After spending a day in the hospital, I came back to New York. I never went back to Port Angeles because of the embarrassment I brought my family, as well as what my Dad did to me. It just was too hard. I hurt them, and he hurt me."

Kevin just stared. "I understand it now, Ollie. But you need to explain some more things to me. Why didn't you tell that doctor your Dad shot you?"

"Because it seemed pointless. They'd arrest him no doubt, and like it or not, he was still my father. I couldn't do that to him."

"I understand. But you should hear my opinion, Ollie."

I sat up, ready to listen.

"You need to tell someone about this. There should be no more secrets kept from your friends."

"Agreed. That's why I already did it."

"What?" Kevin looked at me with shock.

"I've told almost all of my friends, each at a different time, with the exception of Marshall and Lily; I told them both at the same time. Juno, Cindy and Casey are the only ones left. It made things a lot easier to tell you. But not by much."

Kevin nodded. "You've done well, Ollie. It's not much to admit what happened when it's traumatic like this. I think that our sessions are done from now on."

* * *

June 24th 2012

"And those series of admissions led me here. It was time for me to come back home. Not a day goes by when I don't think about you, Lucy. I just want you to know that I'm doing what I love, and my life is a lot easier as a result. I know it'd be so hard if I was going to Wall Street every day for work. For 9 years I've done what I can to honor your memory. But now I need to let go of the past."

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Then let go. You won't fall far."

I looked back to see Juno. After the admission to her and Cindy, she pressured me to return, and came with me back home.

"Ready?" She asked.

I nodded. "Moving on."

* * *

Juno drove the car we rented as we headed down the familiar road. Back to the familiar house. It had been repainted with a new color: A deep red.

"I'll be with you." Said Juno. "Don't worry."

We got out, and started up the front steps. These past years had led up to this moment. I hoped forgiveness was easier than what they said. I knocked as the door.

A man answered the door. He had very gray hair, and a pretty thick beard. It was him. He looked much older from when I last saw him, but I was certain that it was him.

"Can I help you?" He asked. He didn't recognize me. It surprised me, but I understood.

"Dad?" I asked.

He looked at me, and then hugged me.

"Son!" He cried. "It took you long enough!"

Through my tears, I laughed, along with Juno. For the first time in years, I was home.

* * *

**A/N: The revelations may be done, but there are a few more flashbacks left. Keep it locked here for those, plus the events of Season 8 as the "little ways down the road" approaches.**


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